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Sonata da Chiesa is Italian for "church sonata".
Sonatas are instrumental compositions of three or more movements. There are various forms of sonata, such as the sonata da camera, as well as the sonata da chiesa. The sonata da camera (chamber sonata) is often more lively and incorporates a dance theme, while the sonata da chiesa is more somber (suited to a church).
The sonata da chiesa is an instrumental composition dating from the Baroque period, generally consisting of four movements. More than one melody was often used, and the movements were ordered slow–fast–slow–fast with respect to tempo. The second movement was usually a fugal allegro, and the third and fourth were binary forms that sometimes resembled the sarabande and gigue.
It is often mistakenly believed these sonatas were composed to be performed in religious ceremonies. While this may well have happened when voluntary music was required, they are not in the same category as, say, a requiem. These sonatas were often performed in concert for entertainment.
One of the greatest exponents of the sonata da chiesa was the Milanese Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713). Among his finest compositions are Six Sonata da Chiesa, Op. 1. Another composer of this form of music was G. B. Bassani who circa 1710 composed twelve sonata da chiesa.
After 1700 this type of sonata tended to merge with the sonata da camera. This sonata da chiesa had become outdated by the time of Joseph Haydn (1732–1809), although he did compose a few pieces in this style, as did Mozart a few years later, although this term was now seldom used.
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