In 1684 Corelli took over the responsibility of providing the orchestra for the powerful Cardinal Pamphili; two years later he was officially engaged as the Cardinal’s master of music and took up residence in his palace. The Op 2 set of twelve trio sonatas, of the ‘da camera’ variety, were probably performed at the Sunday ‘academies’ held there. Corelli, his favourite violin pupil Matteo Fornari, and the cellist G B Lulier (also a composer) regularly performed with the harpsichordist Pasquini and as concertino soloists with the Cardinal’s orchestra. Op 2 No 4 opens with a
Preludio in a lilting triple-time and a fast
Allemanda. After a short lilting
Grave and before the final dance comes an abstract
Adagio in the ‘da chiesa’ style.
from notes by Tim Crawford © 1987
