Locatelli, Pietro (1693-1764)

Three movements from these two sonatas became part of the cello literature due to an arrangement by Alfredo Piatti(1822-1901). Piatti's arrangement, while extending the literature for cello, took considerable liberty with the material. The three movements of the Locatelli-Piatti sonata are originally movements from the two Locatelli violin sonatas arranged in this edition for cello and continuo. Piatti's arrangement used the second and third movements of the Sonata in D Major, Op. 6 No. 6 , and the first movement of the Sonata in D Minor, Op. 6 No. 12 . Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764) was an Italian composer and violinist who moved to Amsterdam in 1729. He was a virtuoso violinist, and his compositions are all concertos, sonatas and violin caprices. The twelve violin sonatas of Opus 6,1 published in Amsterdam in 1737, are "considered to be among Locatelli's best works." 2 The sonatas of Opus 6 generally follow the pattern found in No.6: a three movement scheme with a slow first movement, a fast middle movement, and concluding with a third movement set of variations, often on a minuet theme. No. 12 is a surprise, having five movements the last of which is a Capriccio, a predominantly solo movement subtitled "Prova del intonatione." David Starkweather