Biography
Primarily celebrated for his mastery of the cello, Domenico channeled most of his instrumental writing toward that instrument, aside from isolated works for trumpet and violin. Many of his arias and operatic scores likewise featured prominent obbligato passages for cello, trumpet, or violin. He stood among the earliest composers to explore the possibilities of sonata form, revealing fresh musical scope and demonstrating notable agility with the instruments at hand. In a set of twelve paired dances he pushed structural limits by juxtaposing movements in remote tonalities, such as A-dur with Eb-dur and C-mol with B-mol. Gabrielli also produced several operas and other vocal compositions. He trained under Legrenzi and later taught Franceshini. His instrumental music tended toward restraint, whereas the vocal works displayed a pronounced taste for dramatic tension.