Simone Stella

Campioni: 6 Harpsichord Sonatas Op.4b Simone Stella

Charles-Antoine Campion (later Italianized as Carlo Antonio Campioni) was born in 1720 in the region of Lorraine, France. At age 17 he and his family moved to Florence in Italy, where the young prodigy received lessons from the famous Tartini. After serving for 10 years as Chapel Master of the Livorno Cathedral he was asked by the Grand Duke of Tuscany to move to Florence again and he was appointed Master of the Court Chapel. He became increasingly famous, and he traveled himself to several European capitals (Paris and London) to see to the publication and promotion of his own compositions.

This new recording contains the keyboard Sonatas Op. 4B. These Sonatas, which were known by Mozart, are particularly interesting for the elegant writing characterized by elaborate arpeggiated figures, graceful melodies and much ornamentation on Albertine basses. Great virtuoso of the harpsichord, Campioni was defined by Torrefranca as "the most pianist of all the harpsichordists of his time".