Domenico Gabrielli

Domenico made his fame primarily as a cellist. Most of his instrumental music was composed for the cello with a few exceptions for the trumpet and violin. Even the accompaniment for many of his arias and operatic pieces contained obligato cello, trumpet or violin parts. He was one of the first composers to begin the development of the sonata form demonstrating new dimensions to music and an adept versatility for the instrument. In one collection of pieces, 12, pairs of dances, Domenico stretched the temperedness of composition by extending the pairs to distant keys such as A-dur and Eb-dur or C-mol and B-mol. Gabrielli composed a number of operas and vocal music. He studid with Legrenzi and his own student was Franceshini. For the most part his instrumental music was reserved but his vocal music was illustrative of a penchant toward tension. ~ Keith Johnson