Cello Repertoire and Performance Practice in Modena under Francesco II d’Este: Giuseppe Colombi, Giovanni Battista Vitali and Domenico Galli

Compared to the attention given to the development of string music in Modena, the development of string music in the nearby city of Bologna in the seventeenth century has always received more focus in musicology. However, the earliest composers who composed solo pieces for cello were instead primarily active in Modena. This study investigates the exchange and development of string music between Modena and Bologna in the mid to late seventeenth century under the leadership of Francesco II d'Este. A critical edition of three compositions for solo cello by Giuseppe Colombi, Giovanni Battista Vitali and Domenico Galli is presented with commentary on the historical background of the period.