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Italian Baroque composer renowned for his instrumental music, particularly concertos and sonatas. Born into a wealthy Venetian paper merchant family, Albinoni pursued music independently. He achieved early fame primarily through his operas (over 50, mostly lost) performed across Italy. His instrumental works, especially oboe concertos, gained significant popularity. Unlike most contemporaries, he wasn't employed by a church or court, maintaining financial independence after his father's death forced him to earn a living from music. He influenced contemporaries like Johann Sebastian Bach, who used Albinoni's themes.

• Albinoni's most famous piece, the 'Adagio in G minor', is actually a 20th-century reconstruction by Remo Giazotto based on a tiny fragment of Albinoni's manuscript. Its immense popularity overshadows his authentic, prolific output.
• He was born into Venetian aristocracy (his father was a wealthy paper merchant), allowing him relative artistic freedom uncommon for composers of his era who often depended on patronage.
• Despite composing over 50 operas, which were his primary source of fame during his lifetime, very few survive intact today. His instrumental music forms the core of his modern legacy.
• A significant fire at the Dresden State Library during WWII destroyed many of Albinoni's original manuscripts, contributing to the loss of much of his work.
• He outlived his fame; his operatic style fell out of fashion later in his life, though his instrumental works remained respected.