[Opera Omnia. Vol. 12]. Critical Edition
Of all the leading composers of the 18th century, only Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762) is lacking a complete critical edition of his music and writings. Although held to be the equal of Corelli in his own day - and indeed thought by some to be superior to his contemporary Handel in instrumental composition - a surprisingly large proportion of his compositions have never been reissued since his lifetime, and with the exception of a few solo sonatas and his treatises on “good taste“ and violin playing, Geminiani is largely ignored by the baroque taste of the present day.
The lack of availability of his music in scrupulous modern editions designed for practical performance has concealed the enormous originality he showed both in writing and re-writing his own music, and that of his teacher, Corelli. His adaptations and re-workings have never to date been presented fully and in a form that allows for pertinent comparison, and the majority of his music has not been revisited by musicologists for the last half century.
Francesco Geminiani Opera Omnia will present all his works, instrumental, vocal and didactic, in full critical editions, with the composer’s first versions, revisions and re-workings presented consecutively by opus number, including a full critical commentary and facsimiles, together with complete performance material for the orchestral and chamber works. The didactic treatises issued in English will be accompanied by Italian, French or German translations of the period, where these exist, together with full commentaries from modern authorities.
It is planned to have all volumes of the edition available in both library volumes and practical performing versions by 2012, the 250th anniversary of Geminiani’s death (and 325th of his birth).
General Preface
Chronology
Abbreviations
Introduction
Plates
Table of Ornaments
Rules for Playing in a True Taste Op. 8 (H. 400)
The Preface
Composition I (H. 400/1)
Composition II (H. 400/2)
Composition III (H. 400/3)
Composition IV (H. 400/4)
A Treatise of Good Taste in the Art of Musick (H. 401)
Preface
An Introduction to a good Taste in Musick
Song I (H. 401/1)
Song II (H. 401/2)
Song III (H. 401/3)
Song IV (H. 401/4)
Sonata I (H. 401/5)
Sonata II (H. 401/6)
Sonata III (H. 401/7)
Air I (H. 401/8)
Air II (H. 401/9)
Air III (H. 401/10)
Air IV (H. 401/11)
Critical Commentary
Appendix 1
Facsimiles from Orpheus Caledonius
Appendix 2 (Christopher Hogwood)
Facsimile of Privilege
Critical Edition directed by Christopher Hogwood
Advisory Committee: Clive Brown, Enrico Careri, Kate Eckersley, Christopher Hogwood (Chairman), Peter Holman, Sandra Mangsen, Richard Maunder, Fulvia Morabito, Rudolf Rasch, Robin Stowell, Michael Talbot, Peter Walls, Christoph Wolff, Neal Zaslaw
