[1] A significant number of such works were produced during the mid- to late- 17th century by composers in Germany, including Heinrich Biber, Dietrich Becker, and Johannes Schenck.
The term sonata da camera was originally used in its literal meaning of "chamber music", but later came to be used figuratively to contrast this genre of composition with the sonata da chiesa, which literally meant "church music", but generally comprised a suite of four movements with tempos following a largo–allegro–largo–allegro pattern.
[2] Nevertheless, there is great variation in the form of music that was called sonata da camera, including works such as Legrenzi's op.
Recent scholarship has revealed that the instruments used for to play basso continuo in Corelli's milieu were quite diverse, including theorbo, guitar, and organ.
Ambiguities on the title pages of Corelli's works have led many to conclude that the continuo might have been either a harpsichord or a cello, rather than both, as was previously assumed.