Arcangelo Corelli was a massive figure in the development of baroque music. Not only did he influence (and possibly teach, although records are fuzzy) notables like Handel and Vivaldi, but his work pioneered baroque forms like the sonata and the concerto.
And while he himself was a violinist, and usually put violins at the forefront in his music, this brief piece for the piano – and the opening piece in his Concerto Grosso in D Major – is the one I find most beautiful.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The way it marches solemnly forward on each quarter note.
2. The way it seems to forecast Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor.
3. The way it could have wrapped up on the cadence at 1:27, but chooses instead to carry on for another 15 seconds, ending on the unfinished cadence that opens the door for the next movement in the concerto.
Recommended listening activity:
Preparing to start something important.