12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5

• Corelli published this collection of sonatas for violin and continuo in Rome in 1700.¹
• Corelli dedicated this publication to Sophie Charlotte, Electress of Brandenburg.²
• In 1710, Estienne Roger republished Corelli’s Op. 5 sonatas with instructions on ornamentation added – probably by Corelli himself. This edition gives us fascinating insight into Baroque ornamentation techniques.³
• Like many of Corelli’s works, this collection’s popularity is demonstrated in frequent reworkings by other composers. In Corelli’s time, his former student Francesco Geminiani⁴ arranged the entire set as concerti grossi. In the Romantic era, Rachmaninov paid homage to Op. 5 No. 12 by exploring the Folia theme Corelli used (see below for more on that theme).⁵

Contents 

Click links for details on each sonata (movements, scores)⁶

1. Violin Sonata in D Major, Op.5 No.1 
2. Violin Sonata in B-flat Major, Op.5 No.2 
3. Violin Sonata in C Major, Op.5 No.3 
4. Violin Sonata in F Major, Op.5 No.4 
5. Violin Sonata in g minor, Op.5 No.5 
6. Violin Sonata in A Major, Op.5 No.6 
7. Violin Sonata in d minor, Op.5 No.7 
8. Violin Sonata in e minor, Op.5 No.8 
9. Violin Sonata in A Major, Op.5 No.9 
10. Violin Sonata in F Major, Op.5 No.10 
11. Violin Sonata in E Major, Op.5 No.11 
12. Violin Sonata in d minor, Op.5 No.12, “La Folia”. This sonata makes use of “La folia,” a popular dance tune from Spain which appears in the works of many Renaissance and Baroque composers. 

1. “12 Violin Sonatas, Op.5 (Corelli, Archangelo),” IMSLP, accessed October 27, 2021, https://imslp.org/wiki/12_Violin_Sonatas,_Op.5_(Corelli,_Arcangelo).
2. Ibid.
3. Michael Talbot, “Corelli, Arcangelo,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 15, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000006478.
4. Enrico Careri, “Geminiani, Francesco,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 27, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000010849.
5. Talbot, “Corelli, Arcangelo,” Grove Music Online.
6. “12 Violin Sonatas, Op.5 (Corelli, Archangelo),” IMSLP.