Tartini and the School of Nations

Nocturnalia’s programme explores the transcendent figure of Giuseppe Tartini, revolutionary teacher, virtuoso violinist, theorist, and composer of the Enlightenment, whose musical and pedagogical influence continues to resonate.

Tartini founded the Scuola delle Nazioni (School of Nations) in Padua, where he trained generations of musicians from across Italy and Europe. Alongside his compositional career, he conducted pioneering experiments in acoustics and became a leading musical theorist. A prolific composer, Tartini laid the foundations of the galant style, bridging Baroque and Classical idioms. His works often drew inspiration from poetry and even dreams.

The program traces Tartini’s European legacy through his students, from Nardini to Stratico, including Pugnani and Sirmen, highlighting the international reach of the Scuola delle Nazioni. Through violin, harpsichord, and cello, these works blend melodic elegance, expressive affetti, and rich harmonic invention to move both heart and senses.

Nocturnalia:
Mojca Jerman historical violin
Pablo Tejedor-Gutiérrez historical cello
Alex Mastichiadis harpsichord