Francesco Antonio Bonporti (1672-1749)

Bonporti was an Italian baroque composer.  Many of his works have been lost.  Bonporti himself published 12 sets of his works (most of these works were solo and trio sonatas).  His musical style was inspired by that of Arcangelo Corelli (a virtuoso violinist and composer whom Bonporti may have studied with).  Bonporti’s music is notable for its imaginative harmonies, unusual focus to melodic detail, and it is full of lively interplay between the instruments in fast movements.  Bonporti’s inventions for solo violin and continuo were a favourite of J.S. Bach.  Bach copied out at least four or them.  For a long time the pieces that Bach copied were thought to have been composed by him.  The latest musicological research shows that the four inventions found in Bach’s hand are actually by Francesco Antonio Bonporti.

The link on this post is a recording by an early music ensemble called I Virtuosi Italiani.  They are playing some concertos by Bonporti written for a quartet of string instruments with keyboard continuo.