Cambridge Sonata No. 2

The twelve ‘Cambridge’ sonatas, presented to Cardinal Ottoboni, represent the ‘late’, galant Bitti, full of lovingly sculpted ornamental detail for the violin but with the same resourceful harmony and perfectly proportioned forms as before. The second sonata of the group is in the classic sonata da camera mould, following an introductory preludio with an allemanda, a corrente and a giga. This sonata is particularly interesting for being an elaborate remake (informed by the wisdom of old age!) of the seventh ‘London’ sonata, in which silky written-out ornamentation and harmonic enrichment are wrapped round the ‘Doric columns’ of the earlier version (published as HH334).