Giuseppe Alberti

Giuseppe Matteo Alberti was an Italian violinist and composer born (in Bologna, Italy) on September 20, 1685 (J.S. Bach was six months old and Antonio Vivaldi was 7 years old.) In 1705, he became a member of the Philharmonic Academy in Bologna. He was twenty years old. He was associated with the Academy for many years. From 1709, he played the violin in the orchestra of the Basilica in that same city. His music was influenced by Vivaldi and it enjoyed success in England, as did the music of Bach’s sons, Handel, and Haydn. He was not nearly as prolific as Vivaldi but he did manage to write 12 symphonies and 10 concertos for violin. Some of these works have been recorded; I doubt, however, that you will ever hear a live performance of any of his music. If you were wondering, this is not the same Alberti after which the “Alberti bass” is named (that was Domenico Alberti.) Alberti died on February 18, 1751, at age 65 (one year after Bach.)