Tomaso Albinoni
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni was an Italian composer born on June 8, 1671, in Venice, where he also died on January 17, 1751. He was the eldest son of a wealthy paper merchant, Antonio Albinoni. Albinoni became proficient in singing and violin at an early age, but due to not being a member of the performers' guild, he turned to composition. His first opera, "Zenobia, regina de Palmireni," was produced in Venice in 1694, alongside his first collection of instrumental music, "12 Sonate a tre, Op.1."
Albinoni was a contemporary of Vivaldi and was famous in his time as an opera composer. However, today he is mainly remembered for his instrumental music, particularly his concertos and sonatas. His works were favorably compared to those of Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi. He is best known today for the "Adagio in G minor," attributed to him but largely composed by Remo Giazotto.
Albinoni married an opera singer, Margherita Rimondi, in 1705, and they had a family together. He composed as many as 81 operas, although most of his operatic works have been lost. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Albinoni did not seek employment at a church or noble court, as he had independent means. After his father's death in 1709, he became a full-time musician, referring to himself as "Dilettante Veneto."
Albinoni was particularly fond of the oboe and is credited with being the first Italian composer to write oboe concertos, with his Op. 7 published in 1715. His instrumental works include 99 sonatas, 59 concertos, and 9 sinfonias, and they were published in various collections throughout his career. Despite his significant contributions to music, much of Albinoni's life remains obscure, partly due to the loss of his works during World War II. He lived in Venice for most of his life, passing away at the age of 79 from diabetes mellitus.
