Tomaso Albinoni (al-bi-NO-nee) was born in Venice, Italy. Can you tell by his name that he is Italian? The Italian language is very melodious. More operas are sung in Italian than in any other language. Say the names of these famous Italian composers: Albinoni, Vivaldi, Rossini (ross-EE-nee), Puccini (pooh-CHEE-nee), Boccherini (bah-ka-REE-nee), Verdi (VAIR-dee), Bellini (Bel-LEE-nee), Donizetti (doe-neet-SET-ee). What do they have in common? If you learn to say them quickly your friends may think that you can speak Italian!

Albinoni's father was a wealthy paper merchant so Albinoni didn't need to work for royalty or the church for a living. He took singing and violin lessons and he delighted others and himself with his music! It is said that he became a very good violinist and that he ran a successful singing school. He also composed an immense number of works, especially sonatas and concertos.

Both Bach and Vivaldi knew and admired Albinoni. Bach used themes by Albinoni for several fugues. Bach also used some of Albinoni's compositions in his teaching. Albinoni was well known in his own time, and he is again becoming popular with lovers of Baroque music. You will hear his Adagio (ah-DAHJ-io) in G Minor quite frequently if your ears are tuned to recognize it. It was played in the movie Gallipoli and for the funeral of England's Princess Diana.