Giuseppe Tartini
Baroque composer and violinist known for the Devil's Trill Sonata.
He was born in Pirano in the Republic of Venice (now Piran, Slovenia) and is best remembered for his Violin Sonata in G Minor, known as the Devil's Trill Sonata. A prolific composer, he wrote over a hundred pieces for the violin, mostly violin concertos, and also made contributions to music theory.
- died
- 26 February 1770
- field
- Composer, violinist, music theorist
- nationality
- Italian (Republic of Venice)
- known_for
- Devil's Trill Sonata; discovery of sum and difference tones
Lore & Background
Tartini was born in Pirano to Gianantonio and Caterina Zangrando. His parents intended him to become a Franciscan friar, and he received basic musical training. He studied violin at the collegio delle Scuole Pie in Capodistria and later studied law at the University of Padua, where he also became skilled at fencing. Cardinal Giorgio Cornaro charged Tartini with abduction, prompting him to flee to the monastery of St. Francis in Assisi, where he studied under Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský. Tartini became increasingly interested in the theory of harmony and acoustics, publishing treatises from 1750 onward. He died of gangrene on 26 February 1770 in Padua.
Reader's Guide
Giuseppe Tartini's significance lies in his dual legacy as a composer and theorist. As a composer, his Devil's Trill Sonata remains a cornerstone of the violin repertoire, noted for its technically demanding double stop trills and the legend of its diabolical inspiration. His works are preserved in manuscripts at the Biblioteca comunale Luciano Benincasa in Ancona, and his legacy is commemorated by a statue in Tartini Square in his hometown of Piran.
Did You Know?
- Tartini was charged with abduction by Cardinal Giorgio Cornaro after marrying Elisabetta Premazore, forcing him to flee to the monastery of St. Francis in Assisi.
- He studied law at the University of Padua and became skilled at fencing before pursuing music full-time.
- Tartini's Devil's Trill Sonata is named after a legend that the devil appeared to him in a dream and played the piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Giuseppe Tartini?
Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770) was an Italian Baroque-era composer, virtuoso violinist, and music theorist born in Pirano, then part of the Republic of Venice (today's Slovenia). He is best known for his violin sonatas and concertos, especially the Violin Sonata in G Minor.
What is the Devil's Trill Sonata?
The Devil's Trill Sonata is Tartini's Violin Sonata in G Minor, a notoriously virtuosic piece that remains a staple of the advanced violin repertoire. Its dramatic nickname comes from a popular legend linking the work to a supernatural dream, though the story is almost certainly apocryphal.
What is the legend behind the Devil's Trill Sonata?
Tartini reportedly told his student Gaetano Brunetti that the devil appeared in his dreams, played the sonata on a violin, and he transcribed it upon waking. No contemporary documentation supports the tale, and most scholars treat it as a later embellishment designed to boost the piece's fame.
What did Tartini contribute to music theory?
He is credited with identifying sum and difference tones, the faint pitches the ear perceives when two frequencies interact. This early insight into acoustic phenomena helped lay groundwork for later work in the physics of sound and music acoustics.
How prolific was Tartini as a composer?
He produced well over a hundred works for the violin, the bulk of them concertos, alongside sonatas, trios, operas, and sacred pieces. His theoretical writings further cement his reputation as one of the most industrious figures of the late Baroque.
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