Chaconne in G Minor for violin and piano; Tomaso Antonio Vitali (Fischer)

Chaconne in G minor for violin and piano by Tomaso Antonio Vitali

Edited by Leopold Charlier, Ferdinand David, and Leopold Auer. Published by Carl Fischer.

Tomaso Antonio Vitali (1663-1745) was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque era. He followed in the footsteps of his composer-violinist father, Giovanni Battista Vitali, working in Bologna, Modena, and Este. He is best known for his Chaconne in G minor (c.1730-40). The chaconne is a form of musical variation over a short, repeated harmonic progression in the bass voice. Vitali's chaconne is a particularly noteworthy entry in this form, not least for its adventurous harmonic modulations, unusual for the era. A favorite of virtuoso violinists from Ferdinand David to Jascha Heifetz, it is a perennial favorite among violinists. Advanced level, Grade 5.