Corelli Opus 5: Improvisation and Dialogue

Corelli's Opus 5 rewrote the rules of violin music in 1700 and performers still treat it like

a playground for improvisation. The collection splits into two worlds: six church sonatas

with their serious slow-fast-slow-fast architecture, then six chamber sonatas built from

dance movements. What's radical is the bass line. Corelli refused to write filler

accompaniment. His continuo part argues back, creating genuine conversations between

two equals instead of melody plus chords. The church sonatas demand gravity, fugal thinking,

expressive cantabile passages. The chamber sonatas pulse with dance rhythm and tight

phrase construction. But here's the secret: Corelli left space everywhere. Early Amsterdam