Farina, Carlo
Farina, Carlo
Farina, Carlo, significant Italian violinist and composer; b. Mantua, c. 1600; d. c. 1640. He was a violinist at the Mantuan court, where he acquired a notable reputation. In 1625 he was called to Dresden as Konzert-meister of the court, a position he held for some four years. In 1637 he was active in Danzig, and then most likely returned to his homeland. Farina was one of the leading violin virtuosos of his era. As a composer, he profoundly influenced the development of the sonata form in Germany. Among his publ. works were sinfonias, sonatas, dances, canzonas, and programmatic pieces. The latter call upon the violin to imitate other instruments and even animals.
Works
(all publ. in Dresden): Libro delle pavane, gagliarde, brand: mascherata, aria franzesa, volte, balletti, sonate, canzone a 2–4 and Basso Continue (1626); Ander Theil neuer Paduanen, Gagliarden, Couranten, franzosischen Arien…Quodlibet von allerhand seltzamen Inventionen…etlichen teutschen Tantzen a 4 (1627); II terzo libro delle pavane, gagliarde, brand: mascherata, arie franzese, volte, corrente, sinfonie a 3, 4, and Basso Continue (1627); // quarto libro delle pavane, gagliarde, balletti, volte, passamezi, sonate, canson a 2–4 and Basso Continue (1628); Funffler Theil neuer Pavanen, Brand: Mascheraden, Balletten, Sonaten a 2–4 and Basso Continuo (1628).
—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire