Sonata X, Op.5-12 for Violin & Viola

Corelli's Op. 5 consists of 12 sonatas for violin and basso continuo. Sonata, Op.5, No.10 has five movements: I. Preludio, II. Allemanda, III. Sarabanda, IV. Gavotta, V. Giga. The fourth movement (IV) is especially well-known. Basso continuo is usually played by harpsichord and cello. However, Lumiere Duo has released a beautiful CD recording of Op. 5, No. 7, performed as a duet for violin and cello. The sheet music we're sharing here is arranged for duets of Op. 5, No. 10, for violin and viola. Viola is tuned one octave above the cello. As a result, the viola can't faithfully replicate the cello part from the original. There are notes that are too low for the viola's range. In the arrangement for violin and viola, we strive to stay true to the original notes. If the notes aren't in the viola's range, we raise them by one octave. However, following this rule too strictly can lead to unnatural sequences. In such cases, even when the note is within the viola's range, we use a note one octave higher to maintain naturalness. While there's no rigid rule for this treatment, we're trying to imagine what Corelli might do if he were arranging for violin and viola. Additionally, in the third and fourth movements, we've swapped the solo part and basso continuo part in the repeating sections. Shifting the melody to the viola brings a fresh sound. In the audio samples below, we've used a flute sound for the violin part and a clarinet sound for the viola part. This should help you better understand how the swapping works.