Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer

VI Concerti Armonici: Concertino No. 2 in G, IUW 3

The six CONCERTI ARMONICI was long thought to be the work of the violinist-impresario Carlo Ricciotti or composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, but more recent research has revealed the composer to be Unico Wilhelm van Wassenauer (1692-1766). Born into a wealthy Dutch family, the diplomat and composer founded a Collegium musicum in The Hague under the oversight of Ricciotti. Composed between 1725 and 1740, the six concertos have been falsely attributed to a variety of contemporaries, Ricciotti and Pergolesi amongst them, since its anonymous publication. Wassenauer's aristocratic background was the reason for his secretiveness. The sentiment of the time ordained that musicians belong to the lower classes.

This edition of CONCERTINO No. 2 (also CONCERTO ARMONICO in G Major, CONCERTO IV, or just CONCERTINO in G), drawing from the CONCERTO ARMONICO in G Major, IUW 3, was edited by 20th century Baroque expert Fritz Rikko. Rikko spuriously attributes the work to Pergolesi. Despite Wassenauer's authorship having since been confirmed, Rikko's original editorial notes have been retained. Instrumentation: Str (4 Vn parts [2.2.2.2].3.2.2): Harpsichord Continuo in score.