Music and Influence
During Albinoni’s lifetime, he wrote over fifty operas, of which 28 were produced in Venice between 1723 and 1740. His music is most distinguished today, for his original melody, especially in his oboe concertos.
His instrumental music greatly attracted the attention of Johann Sebastian Bach, who wrote at least two fugues on Albinoni's themes and constantly used his basses for harmony exercises for his pupils/students.
Part of Albinoni's work was lost in World War II with the destruction of the Dresden State Library, as a result little is known of his life and music after the mid 1720s.
The Albinoni Adagio in G minor is a 1958 composition entirely composed by Remo Giazotto, which Giazotto claimed to have based on fragments from a slow movement of an Albinoni trio sonata he had been sent by the Dresden State Library.
Albinoni was extremely productive and is said to have composed over 80 operas, 40 solo cantatas, 79 sonatas, 59 concerti, and 8 sinfonias. He composed oboe concertos, treating the oboe as a lyrical, melodic instrument. His compositions were much admired by Johann Sebastian Bach, who used themes of Albinoni's in several of his keyboard fugues. Two of these themes come from Albinoni's work Opera Prima. Bach also used some of his themes to practice realizing the continuo harmonies using bass lines of Albinoni, and pieces of Albinoni's were used by Bach for teaching. At the beginning of the twentieth century, editions of his works were published, and his violin music is still performed. ~ Rita Laurance, All Music Guide
Albinoni's instrumental works, mostly for strings, were especially popular; ten sets were published in his lifetime. His oboe concertos were the first by an Italian to ever be published. His music is individual, with a strong melodic character and, especially in the early works, properly well balanced.