Angelo Ragazzi: Sonate a Quattro, Facsimile Part Books (Sonata 1 - 12)

Naples, at the turn of the XVIIIth century, was the capital of Southern Italy and Sicily, and the home of orphanages which functioned as superlative music schools providing the city with first-rate musicians. Consequently the Neapolitan court orchestra was one of the best musical ensembles in Europe. Ragazzi received musical training in the S. Maria di Loreto orphanage and later attained the position of concertmaster of the Neapolitan court orchestra.

The six part-books in attractive print from the year 1736, which we are publishing in facsimile, are fully appropriate for practical use today. The six parts are: Vl I principale, Vl I di raddoppio, Vl II, Violino III o Violetta, Violone and Basso continuo.

Sonata I     in G   Allegro - Grave - Allegro
Sonata II    in c    Allegro - Aria Adagio - Allegro
Sonata III   in B    Vivace - Aria Adagio - Allegro           
Sonata IV   in f    “Imitatio in Salve Regina, mater misericordiae” - Andante - Adagio - Allegro
Sonata V    in A    Allegro - Adagio - Allegro            
Sonata VI   in g    Allegro - Aria un poco Andante - Vivace

Sonata VII    in A     Allegro - Aria Adagio - Allegro
Sonata VIII   in G     Allegro - Adagio - Allegro
Sonata IX     in a     Preludio Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro
Sonata X      in D    “Ecce sacerdos magnus” - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro
Sonata XI     in Es   Adagio/Allegro/Adagio - Allegro - Grave - Allegro
Sonata XII    in G    “Pastorale” Apparizione: Recitativo - Andata: Allegro - Adorazione:     Vivace - Canzona - Ritornata: Allegro - Allegro