Francesco Saverio Geminiani (1687-1762), born in Lucca, began his studies at a young age with his father, but he received his most important lessons during his years with the great Roman master Arcangelo Corelli. Composition lessons with Alessandro Scarlatti inspired and consolidated his craft. in 1714, Geminiani settled in London, where he quickly gained fame as an ensemble player, concert violinist and teacher. Here he became friends with Handel and conducted the orchestra in many joint performances. Geminiani enjoyed great success not only in London, but also in Ireland, where he spent a lot of time. he settled in Dublin in 1760 and died there in 1762 in somewhat impoverished circumstances.

Geminiani's playing was characterized by great expressiveness, a wealth of dynamic colors, extraordinary liveliness and a strong temperament. Tartini aptly called Geminiani "il furibondo" - the furious one!

His most important contributions to the Baroque concerto repertoire include his Concerti grossi op. 2 and 3, which were published in 1732 and 1733 respectively. These sets each consist of six concertos and follow the model established by Corelli, in particular his Concerti grossi op. 6. However, Geminiani's works are more comprehensive and harmonically more adventurous. They are often characterized by complicated contrapuntal movements and dramatic contrasts between the concertino (the group of solo instruments) and the ripieno (the entire ensemble), a hallmark of the concerto grosso form.

Op. 2 is characterized by its lyrical elegance and refined structure, while Op. 3 reveals a bolder, more expressive style, perhaps reflecting Geminiani's growing independence from Corelli's shadow. These works were conceived not only for public concert performances but also for teaching and making music at home, demonstrating Geminiani's skill in balancing artistic depth with accessibility.

Geminiani's concerti grossi were very popular in his time and have been appreciated to this day for their rich texture and expressiveness. They embody the late Baroque ideal of combining virtuosity with emotional intensity. Even today, they are an integral part of early music ensembles and underline Geminiani's role as a key figure in the communication and transformation of the Italian Baroque tradition for an international audience.

Performed by the elite Italian ensemble L'Archicembalo, who previously recorded Vivaldi's string concertos for Brilliant Classics to great acclaim.