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The son of a French oboist who had settled in Italy, Sammartini spent his whole life in Milan, where he won an early reputation serving for many years as maestro di cappella to the Congregation of the St. Entierro.

During his musical career he was Italy’s most important symphonist and contributed considerably towards the founding of a modern style of instrumental music.

He won a considerable reputation abroad, with works published in London and Paris, and was much admired by Mozart, Bach and Haydn.

Sammartini was a prolific composer, though much of his work has been lost.

68 symphonies of Sammartini’s orchestral music survive, with six violin concertos, one double violin concerto, two flute concertos, in addition to sets of concerti grossi and overtures.

These vary in style from an early mixture of Baroque and classical to an intermediate style and a final style that is, in general, classical.

Chamber music by Sammartini consists of string quintets, quartets and almost 200 trios.

There are thirty or so keyboard sonatas, for harpsichord or organ, with eleven violin sonatas and six sonatas for harpsichord with violin.

Sammartini wrote sacred choral music, cantatas and liturgical settings, as well as secular arias and cantatas.