Giovanni Battista Vitali along with Domenico Gabrieli was one of several important musicians to accept posts at the vibrant court of the duchy of Modena. The young duke, Francesco II, was a cultivated prince, lover of the arts, and by all accounts a good violinist. Vitali was a virtuoso on the violone a large bass violin, and proficient on the new cello. Vitali started a musical dynasty at the court that lasted for 4 generations. The Op.11 sonatas are composed for 6 instruments, although the court band had grown to 13 players during Vitali s time there. For this recording, the parts have been doubled, to provide additional continuo. These works were a considerable success for the composer and were consistently in print long after Vitali s death. The music is a sophisticated blend of Italian and French styles, with the dance never far from the composer s mind. They are fascinating works from a skillful composer who was a contemporary of Purcell, Marais, Pachelbel and Corelli. These recordings were made in 2008 and use period instruments from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque eras.