Giovanni Battista Martini: Sinfonia a 4 strumenti: Streichquartett

Giovanni Battista Martinis instrumental music, much of which remains unpublished, constitutes a corpus that is surprising both in quality and breadth. Symphonies and concertos for strings, wind, for solists (flute, violin, cello, harpsichord, horns)and concertante groups, chamber music (sonatas, fugues, trios, minuets, variations) form a versatile collection of compositions, ranging in genre from the sacred to the profane, from baroque style to early classicism.

Padre Martini tacklesmany different aspects of musical writing: from the most simple pieces for solo instrument, useful for study and for the training of his young pupils, through the more complex and intricatecounterpoint of fugues, he arrives at symphonies andconcertos that call for a orchestra large in size and offering a variety of timbres.

The “maestro of maestros” moves freely from harmonic simplicity, discernible both in his short duets and in his symphonies with trumpets and horns, toenharmony, present in one of the central movements, where he often displays notable levels of impassioned expression. The suspended harmonies and chromaticisms alternate within a form that overall is nearly always canonic, even though his output isnot without examples of great liberty.

The liveliness of his writing, present in a large part of his orchestral works, bear witness to a composer well known for his skills as a teacher and contrapuntalist, but also capable of sometimes takinginspiration from popular melodies such as the “balli turchi”.

This critical edition helps to bridge a gap in the musical legacy of the 18th century.