Count Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer (1692-1766)
Concerti armonici

The composer of the beautiful music on this recording was unknown for over two centuries. This was not through bad fortune, but rather because the author took active steps to remain anonymous. Before it was established that the Dutch nobleman Count Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer was the creator of these works, they were attributed to the Italian Carlo Ricciotti, before being included and renamed Concertini in the Collected Edition of Pergolesi. For over a hundred years these Pergolesi Concertini have been enjoyed and performed, bringing great credit to that composer. Indeed, when Igor Stravinsky wrote his Pulcinella suite and made use of the music of Pergolesi he included a Tarantella based on the last movement of Concerto No.2.

Unico Wilhelm, Count of Wassenaer, was born on 2 November, 1692, into one of the oldest noble families of the Province of Holland, the seventh child o