Adagio Albinoni
In art, that is, in different forms of creativity, in which a person self-actualizes his spirituality, be it painting, music, poetry, or something else, a great many different works are created. However, there are such amazing creations that immediately attract close attention, as they make the heart beat faster, and the soul to tremble. Having some special charisma, they not only immediately enchant, but also fascinate listeners and viewers. Tomazo Albinoni, an outstanding Italian baroque composer, can safely be counted among such delightful fruits of the author’s inspiration. In G Minor for stringed instruments and organ. However, at present there are quite a few questions regarding the creation of this ingenious creation, and many experts cannot find an answer to them.
The history of the creation of "Adagio Albinoni", as well as interesting facts and musical content, read on our page.
History of creation
In order to at least understand the strange story of the creation of the Adagio, it is necessary to say a few words about Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni, who was born in 1671 in the family of the rich Venetian Antonio, who was involved in paper trading. Uncommon musical abilities that have manifested themselves from early childhood helped the boy to successfully practice vocals, as well as to master fiddle. At the age of twenty-three years Tomaso seriously engaged in the composition, and in 1709, after the death of his father, decided to completely connect his life with music. Albinoni left behind a fairly rich artistic legacy. He is the author of operas, numerous sonatas, concerts and other various works, which at that time were advantageously different from the works of his contemporaries - Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi.
After the composer's death, his personal archives, most of which were unpublished works of Albinoni, ended up in the Saxon State Library in Dresden. Unfortunately, in the winter of 1945, during the raid of the Allied airplanes and the bombing of the city, the library’s vault was destroyed and most of the funds were destroyed.
In the same year, Italian musicologist, professor of the history of music at the University of Florence, Remo Gadzotto decided to write a biography of Albinoni and systematize his remaining unpublished works. Carefully dismantling what was left of the composer’s archives in the Dresden repository, Jadzotto soon published the book Tomaso Albinoni. Musico di Violino Dilettante Veneto. Four years later, Dzhadzotto again forced to draw attention to himself, when he announced that he had found a fragment of a previously unknown work of Albinoni. The passage, which was defined as part of the sonata, included only six bars of melody and basso continuo. The musicologist assured everyone that he would surely resurrect the composition of Albinoni, which allegedly dated to 1708. In 1958, Remo Judzotto published Adagio in G Minor for String Instruments and Organ, which was based on the found fragments of Tomaso Albinoni’s work. The musicologist signed by his own name. Not having time to appear, the avalanche of popularity fell upon the work.
In 1961, when it first sounded as the main theme in Alain Rene’s film “Last Year in Marienbad,” Adagio began to scroll actively in commercials and various television programs. The writing became so famous that at the end of his life, Gadzotto told a completely different story of the emergence of the Adagio. Renault said that there was no fragment of Albinoni’s sonata, that he himself composed this work and now the whole world should know about it. Many musicologists support the recognition of the professor, because no one has ever seen a fragment of the manuscript. Moreover, afterwards experts did not find any official records about his presence in the Saxon State Library collection.
Interesting Facts
- It is noteworthy that, unlike other classic works, Adagio Albinoni still retains copyright. Despite the initial allegation of joint authorship, Dzhadzotto subsequently apparently realized the financial gains from the work that won immense popularity, and decided to abandon the original history, fully assuming the authorship of the work. The professor died in 1998, which means that the Adagio in G Minor will not be made public until 2048.
- In the estate of Gadzotto, the last assistant musicologist, Muska Mangano, found a photocopy of the manuscript of the music corresponding to Adagio. It contains bass and a total of six measures of violin part. The title attributes the work of Albinoni. The stamp indicates the origin of the material in Dresden, but musicologists question the authenticity of this document.
- Albinoni's orchestral music admired Bachwho used several themes of Albinoni in his own compositions, for example, in fugues in A major and B minor. There is some evidence that the composers were familiar.
- Adagio is different in style from the original compositions of Albinoni, but the great merit of this work is that it once again forced to pay attention to the talented baroque era forgotten for two centuries. Numerous chamber orchestras and ensembles include Adagio in their repertoire and make sound recordings, and in combination with other works of Albinoni.
- Adagio is one of the most popular works of "classical music" and is included in most collections of baroque "hits". In addition, it is also known as the "Mourning March" Chopin often performed at funeral ceremonies.
- The work was used as a soundtrack in more than 30 films, the last one of which is the film “Manchester by the Sea” (2016) - the Oscar winner in two nominations at once.
- In 1998, Sarah Brightman performed the song "Anytime, Anywhere", based on the music of Adagio, and a year later Lara Fabian presented her version of the famous work in Italian and English, which gained great popularity and entered the repertoire of many vocal performers.
Content
"Adagio in G Minor for stringed instruments and organ" is a complete composition, written in the style of chaconne according to all the rules of baroque music and representing polyphonic variations.
The composition, which includes five small sections, begins with an eight-stroke basso continuo entry, supported by pizzicato cellos and double basses. Further, the organ begins to sing beautifully an expressive theme, on which an elegistic-melancholic, consisting mainly of descending motifs, the melody of strings, is superimposed. The first part is repetitively repeated, and then the composition continues with the next section, very much like a cadence, in which the violin shows itself in all its beauty against the background of the dormant basso continuo. The third and fourth parts of the Adagio are variations on the theme, sounding in the first section, and the last, fifth part can be considered as the final product of the code.
Despite all the expertise, passion for authorship "Adagio Albinoni"do not stop, and musicologists still find out how this breathtaking masterpiece was created. It is worth noting that if this is really the composition of Dzhadzotto, then it is a pity that it is the only one and Reno's talent as a composer was not realized.
Leave Your Comment