Two previously unknown Vivaldi sonatas discovered

18th-century Italian Baroque composer’s sonatas uncovered in an old 180-page manuscript

Published: November 19, 2010 at 5:48 pm

A couple of previously lost violin sonatas penned by Italian Baroque composer Vivaldi, best known for his composition The Four Seasons, have been found. These works, after lying hidden for about 270 years, were discovered in a 180-page portfolio donated in 2008 by the late businessman Gerald Coke to the Foundling Museum, London.

The sonatas have been authenticated by the Vivaldi expert Michael Talbot, visiting professor of music at Liverpool Hope University. In a statement he said: ‘From their relatively simple technical demands, it appears the two sonatas were written by Vivaldi for amateurs.’

One of these rediscovered compositions, a Sonata in C major, will be performed by the La Serenissima ensemble as part of the Cornerstone Festival at Liverpool Hope University on Sunday.

Coke had acquired the anthology at an auction, and it was returned to the Foundling Museum after his death. The collection consists of manuscripts compiled between 1715 and 1725, with Vivaldi’s sonatas filed alongside works by Handel, Corelli and Purcell.

Vandana Gupta

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