Giuseppe Valentini

Giuseppe Valentini (14 December 1681 – November 1753), nicknamed Straccioncino (Little Ragamuffin), was an Italian violinist, painter, poet, and composer, though he is known chiefly as a composer of inventive instrumental music. He studied under Giovanni Bononcini in Rome between 1692 and 1697. From 1710 to 1727 he served as ‘Suonator di Violino, e Componitore di Musica’ to Prince Michelangelo Caetani. He also succeeded Corelli as director of the concertino at San Luigi dei Francesi, from 1710 to 1741. Though during his lifetime overshadowed by the likes of Corelli, Vivaldi, and Locatelli, his contribution to Italian baroque music is noteworthy, and many of his works were published throughout Europe.

Selected works

Instrumental Music

• op.1: 12 Sinfonie (with Sinfonia a tre per il santissimo Natale Nr. 12) (1701)
• op.2: 7 Bizzaria per camera for 2 Violins, Viola and Basso continuo (1703)
• op.3: 12 Fantasie musicali for 2 Violins and Bass (1706)
• op.4: 7 Idee per camera for Violin and Basso continuo (1706)
• op.5: 12 Sonate a tre (Villeggiature armoniche) (1707)
• op.6: - unpublished
• op.7: 7 Concerto a Quattro Violini (Concerti grossi) (1710)
• op.8: 12 Allettamenti per camera (1714)
• op.9-14: - unpublished (promised in the preface to op.8)
• op.??: 7 Concerti for 2 Violins, 2 Horns (Trombe da Caccia) and Basso Continuo (MS in Danish Royal Library)

Operas

• La finta rapita (1714 Cisterna)
• La costanza in amore (1715 Cisterna)

Oratorios

• Cantata per la natività della Beatissima Vergine (Son l'origine di tutti) (1723 Rome)
• Cantata in lode di Benedetto XIII (Amica e cara fede) (1724 Rome)