Trio sonata facts for kids

A trio sonata is a special kind of music that was very popular a long time ago, during the Baroque period. This period lasted from the 1600s to the mid-1700s. Even though it's called a "trio" sonata, it's usually played by four musicians!

What is a Trio Sonata?

A trio sonata is written for three main musical lines, or "voices." Think of these as three different melodies playing at the same time.

• The two top voices are often played by instruments like violins or flutes. These two parts usually share similar tunes and sometimes copy each other. They are equally important in the music.
• The third voice is the lowest part. It's played by something called the basso continuo.

The Basso Continuo

The basso continuo is like the rhythm and harmony section of the group. It's usually played by two instruments:

• One instrument plays the bass line, like a cello or a bass viol.
• Another instrument fills in the harmonies, like a harpsichord or an organ.

So, you have two instruments for the top voices and two for the basso continuo. That makes four players! But because the harpsichord player's left hand often plays the same notes as the cello, it's still considered just one "voice" for the bass part. That's why it's a "trio" sonata, even with four musicians.

Types of Trio Sonatas

There were two main types of trio sonatas:

• Sonata da chiesa: This means "church sonata." These sonatas usually had four parts, called movements. The movements would go slow, then fast, then slow, then fast again. They often ended with a special kind of musical chase called a fugue.
• Sonata da camera: This means "chamber sonata." These sonatas were more like a collection of different dances. Each movement would be a different dance style.

Famous Trio Sonata Composers

Arcangelo Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli was a very important composer of trio sonatas. Many people think his trio sonatas are some of the best.

• His collections known as Opus 1 and Opus 3 are examples of the sonata da chiesa style.
• His Opus 2 and Opus 4 collections are examples of the sonata da camera style.
• Corelli's trio sonatas were typically written for two violins and the basso continuo.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach also wrote amazing trio sonatas, but in some unique ways.

• He wrote a trio sonata in his famous work called The Musical Offering. This one was for violin, flute, and continuo.
• Bach also wrote six trio sonatas specifically for the organ. These are special because only one person plays them! The organist uses both hands on different keyboards (called manuals) to play the two upper voices. Their feet play the lowest voice on the organ's pedals. Each part is a single melody, so these pieces can also be played by other instruments, like two violins and a cello with a harpsichord.
• Bach also wrote sonatas for one melody instrument (like a violin or flute) and a harpsichord. Even though they aren't called "trio sonatas," they work like them. The solo instrument plays the top part. The harpsichord player uses their right hand for the second part and their left hand for the lowest part.

Other Composers

Many other composers from the Baroque period also wrote wonderful trio sonatas. Some of these include:

• Tomaso Albinoni
• Henry Purcell
• Dietrich Buxtehude
• George Frideric Handel
• Georg Philipp Telemann
• Johann Pachelbel
• Antonio Vivaldi

See also

In Spanish: Sonata a trío para niños