Oboe Concerto - Alessandro Marcello

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Oboe Concerto in D minor - Alessandro Marcello (circa 1673 - 1747)
Listen to this concerto by Alessandro Marcello
performed by Marcel Ponseele on baroque oboe
performed by Malcolm Messiter

The slow movement of this concerto is particularly beautiful. A concerto is a musical composition for instruments in which a solo instrument (or instruments) is set off against an orchestral ensemble. There are two seemingly conflicting origins of the word 'concerto': the Latin definition suggests 'competing', whilst the Italian definition suggests 'agreement'. In the case of the musical concerto, both meanings have value - both contest and concord provide variety within unity. 


Alessandro Ignazio Marcello was an Italian nobleman and composer, who was born in Venice and held concerts in his hometown. He often composed under the pseudonym Eterio Stinfalico (the name he used as a member of the Arcadian Academy). This concerto is possibly his best-known work. It was clearly held in high regard by J.S. Bach, who later found it transcribed it for harpsichord. 




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