Cambridge Sonata No. 8

The twelve ‘Cambridge’ sonatas, presented to Cardinal Ottoboni, represent the ‘late’, galant Bitti, full of lovingly sculpted ornamental detail for the violin but with the same resourceful harmony and perfectly proportioned forms as before. The eighth sonata of the group, in four movements, follows a suave preludio with an allemanda, a sarabanda and a giga, although only the second of those dances is named as such. The general mood of the work is relaxed and genial.