Vitali, Tomaso Antonio (EN)

Vitali Tomaso, Tommaso, Antonio, *7 March 1663 Bologna, †9 May 1745 Modena, Italian composer, violinist, son and student of Giovanni Battista. He studied composition with A.M. Pacchioni; he was mainly active in Modena, where he was a member of the court orchestra from 1675 to 1742, initially as a violinist, then as concertmaster. In 1703, he was admitted to the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna. In 1711, he played with G.B. Somis and G. Sammartini in Novara during the ceremony of the transfer of the relics of St. Gaudentius. His students were E.F. Dall’Abaco, G.N. Laurenti, L.A. Predieri, and J.B. Senaillé.

Tomaso Antonio Vitali went down in music history primarily as a violin virtuoso and renowned teacher. His still not fully explored oeuvre consists of solo, duet, and trio sonatas (62 works in total). The sonatas da chiesa from Op. 1 and 2 are characterized by a skillful distribution of form (mainly four-part cycles), elaborate counterpoint (double and triple fugues, canons), expressive harmony, and elegance in the shaping of the melodic line; the influence of his father and A. Corelli can be seen in these works. In accordance with the tastes of Princess Anna Maria di Savoia, to whom Op. 3 is dedicated, this collection contains 10 suites consisting of 3 or 4 French dances (gavotte, minuet, rigaudon, bourrée), a cycle of variations based on the passamezzo antico and moderno bass, and one sonata, while Op. 4, dedicated to Cardinal P. Ottoboni, contains sonatas da chiesa and da camera crowned with variations on the folia bass. The virtuoso Ciaccona in G minor for solo violin and basso continuo, attributed to Vitali, is probably not his work.

Literature: L. Perrachio Dodici sonate di Tomaso Antonio Vitali trovate a Torino, “Il pianoforte” VI, 1925; W. Reich Die Chaconne g-moll von Vitali?, “Beiträge zur Musikwissenschaft” VII, 1965.