Arcangelo Corelli, an Italian violinist and composer of the Baroque era, was born on February 17, 1653, in Fusignano near Ravenna. The fifth child of a wealthy landowning family, he likely received his first lessons from a local teacher. He continued his musical studies in Bologna in 1666, where he studied violin with the renowned violinists Giovanni Benvenuti and Leonardo Brugnoli.
After his studies in Bologna, Corelli settled in Rome no later than 1675. There, he quickly became known as an outstanding violinist under the nickname "Il Bolognese" and, through his participation in concerts for the Chigi family, rapidly gained access to the highest circles of the Roman nobility. In the same year, he joined the orchestra of the French national church of San Luigi dei Francesi and was appointed concertmaster in 1682—a position he held until 1708.
After his studies in Bologna, Corelli settled in Rome no later than 1675. There, he quickly became known as an outstanding violinist under the nickname "Il Bolognese" and, through his participation in concerts for the Chigi family, soon gained access to the highest circles of the Roman nobility. In the same year, he joined the orchestra of the French national church of San Luigi dei Francesi and was appointed concertmaster in 1682—a position he held until 1708.
In Rome, Corelli also received composition lessons from Matteo Simonelli, a singer in the Papal Chapel, and began composing his own works around 1677. He became a member of the orchestra of the former Queen Christina of Sweden, who lived in Rome. He dedicated his first published work, the twelve Church Sonatas, Op. 1 (1681), to her. These sonatas were a success throughout Europe and were reprinted in numerous cities.
Although there is speculation about travels to France, Spain, and Germany, Corelli spent most of his life in Rome, with only a brief stay in Naples. He enjoyed the patronage of powerful benefactors such as Queen Christina of Sweden and Cardinals Benedetto Pamphili and Pietro Ottoboni, which allowed him to live a life free from financial worries. This enabled him to concentrate on composing a relatively small but high-quality body of work for the violin. Corelli died in Rome on January 8, 1713.