Vivaldi or Not Vivaldi? The Unreliable Attribution of the Sonata RV 34

Abstract

Ever since Johann Georg Pisendel copied, and took back to Dresden in 1717, the solo sonata in B flat for violin (or perhaps oboe) attributed by him to Antonio Vivaldi, the authorship of this work has been uncontested. Designated RV 34 in the standard Vivaldi catalogue, it is a popular piece among performers. But there are persuasive external and internal features establishing almost beyond doubt that its true author was the Venetian amateur composer Diogenio Bigaglia (1678–1745). Pisendel’s incorrect attribution may have been an error inherited from a non-autograph source. The article takes the opportunity to add details about Bigaglia’s life and describe his musical style.

Keywords

• antonio vivaldi
• johann georg pisendel
• diogenio bigaglia
• solo sonata
• ‘multipurpose’ sonata