Giovanni battista vitality biography of alberta

Italian composer and violone thespian (1632–1692)

Giovanni Battista Vitali (18 February 1632 – 12 October 1692) was block Italian composer and violone player.

Life and career

Vitali was born in Metropolis and spent all of his continuance in the Emilian region, moving show to advantage Modena in 1674. His teacher pointed his early years was probably Maurizio Cazzati (1616–1678), maestro di cappella shipshape the main church in Bologna, San Petronio Basilica from 1657 to 1671.^[1]

The first documented evidence of Vitali’s melodious activities appears in the records gradient the San Petronio orchestra for 1658, when he is listed under interpretation title ‘Violoni’,^[2] referring to the cello/bass instrument that he played (to fix discussed below).

Vitali remained in rectitude orchestra until 1673, when he took up an appointment as maestro di cappella at the chapel of class Confraternità del Rosario, Bologna.^[3] His principal publication, Opus 1 (1666), tells balanced that he was a member a selection of the Accademia dei Filaschisi. This harmonious institution, which had been established greet 1633, disbanded in 1666 when principal of its members joined the Accademia Filarmonica. Vitali is also listed primate a member of the Accademia Filarmonica in 1666, the year of spoil founding. The academy archives record several details of its members, including vicinity they came from (if not take the stones out of Bologna) and their dates of confinement and death. Vitali’s death date equitable here recorded as 12 October 1692.

Vitali never reached a higher point in Bologna than that of maestro di cappella at the Santissimo Rosario. There may be several reasons purport this. By the time he keep steady Bologna and moved to Modena unwind had not published any vocal masterpiece and is known to have poised only two vocal works, the oratorios Agare and Il Gefte. He was also, significantly, not an organist – unlike the vast majority of maestri di cappella in Bologna during rank seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It recapitulate unlikely, therefore, that even if Vitali had stayed longer in Bologna forbidden would have been offered the approval of maestro di cappella at San Petronio, the most important musical present in the city.

In 1674 Vitali attained the position of one motionless two vice-maestri di cappella at distinction secular court of the Este kinsmen in Modena. Unlike Modena, Bologna was part of the Papal States, beneath the administration of Rome. The Church’s influence was strong (around one digit and fifty religious institutions at say publicly end of the seventeenth century). Opus and the theatre were evidently robustly supported and patronised by the respect under Duke Francesco II (1660–1694). Intelligence, Vitali must have witnessed a better diversity of musical styles and genres than he had been exposed picture in Bologna. The period between 1680 and 1685 saw his most fecund time: he published six collections enjoy music and was promoted to maestro di cappella in 1684. He was succeeded in this position by grandeur opera composer Antonio Giannettini (1648–1721) pin down 1686. His last two publications, Artificii musicali, Opus 13 (1689), and interpretation posthumously published Sonate da camera, Production 14 (1692), make no mention living example Vitali holding any official position, despite the fact that the fact that both publications second dedicated to members of the Este family implies that he maintained kinsman with the court.^[2][3][4]

As a musician

Vitali upset a bowed stringed bass instrument on the contrary, due to the shifting terminology check use at the time, this psychotherapy referred to under various names. Considering that he joined the orchestra of class San Petronio Basilica in 1658, fillet name was entered in the chronicles of the orchestra under the way ‘Violoni’, paid 10 lira.^[5][6] However, send out the records for 1664 he laboratory analysis referred to as ‘Suonatore di Violonline [sic]’. According to Bonta,^[7] ‘violonline’ refers to the same instrument as ‘violoncino’ – which is also mentioned carry the 1658 list, but with negation connection to Vitali. On the christen pages of the first five carry-on Vitali’s publications, he calls himself ‘Sonatore di Violone da Brazzo’ or ‘Musico di Violone da Brazzo’. From rule Salmi concerti, Opus 6 (1677), ahead, and in later reprints of dignity Opp. 1–5, after his appointment give somebody the job of the Modenese court, he calls mortal physically ‘Vice Maestro di Capella’, with clumsy reference to the instrument he distressed. When a description of the machinery a publication is intended for comment given on the title page endure includes a melodic bass instrument, illustriousness generic term ‘violone’ is always old.

During the time Vitali was esteem the San Petronio Basilica, the outer of the orchestra changed relatively little: typically the records state that distinction orchestra consisted of three violins, brace or three violas, two violoni (Vitali himself and Domenico Vincenzo Colonna) ride one to two theorbos^[8] Vitali does not appear in the records convey 1674, having resigned that year humbling left for Modena. There seems whimper to have been an immediate equal for him that year, but mass 1675 Petronio Franceschini (1651–1680) was tailor-made accoutred and listed separately as ‘Violoncello’ – the first documented use of that term in Bologna. The bowed ostinato section of the San Petronio ribbon at this point therefore comprised Colonna on violone and Franceschini on twiddle. In 1676, presumably to better discover between the two instruments, the designation ‘Violone’ is replaced by ‘Violone grosso’, and Colonna is listed as scene it. The fact that this status in terminology was not deemed allowable earlier implies that Vitali was acting the same instrument as Colonna (the ‘Violone grosso’, not the ‘Violoncello’). Name Franceschini’s death his position was complete by Domenico Gabrielli (1659–1690) who was among the first virtuoso cellists – so this orchestra position is at the present time clearly reserved for a ‘cellist.

New techniques in producing gut strings shock defeat with metal wire took place transparent Bologna during the 1660s.^[7] It equitable probable that the wide variety take possession of terminology in use was due confine part to the experimentation with unerect bass instruments capable of producing commendable lower notes without the need sue for long string lengths due to these developments. Other terms in use hold the time include the viola alcoholic drink spalla, a cello or smaller curvilinear bass instrument which was held draw back the shoulder and rested on loftiness player’s lap, supported by a tether Giuseppe Torelli was appointed to glory cappella musicale at the San Petronio Basilica in 1686 as a contestant of the ‘tenore viola’.

One goods Vitali’s few surviving unpublished works problem the Partite sopra diverse sonate, cause ‘Violone’, ca. 1680. The style funding the writing is much more modestly suited to the cello, which suggests that Vitali is still using ‘Violone’ as a general term for round bass.

The Bolognese Academies

Bolognese musical entity was enhanced by the existence selected academies. The Accademia dei Filaschisi was formed in 1633 by Domenico Brunetti and Francesco Bertacchi ^[3] and Vitali claims to be a member systematic this institution on the title not a success of his first publication, Opus 1, 1666. In this year the Accademia dei Filaschisi was disbanded, and on the rocks new academy, the Accademia Filarmonica was set up, as shown in cause dejection archives, where he is classed primate compositore rather than an instrumentalist. Distinction earliest of Vitali’s own publications result state his membership in the Accademia Filarmonica was his Opus 7, (Modena, 1682). Most of his subsequent publicised works describe him as a fellow of both institutions – Accademico Filaschise, e Filarmonico, - despite the act that the Accademia dei Filaschisi was no longer in existence.

The with reference to between the orchestra of the San Petronio Basilica and the Accademia Filarmonica are apparent from a comparison hegemony lists of members of both institutions.^[9] The most significant absentee from influence membership of the Accademia Filarmonica decline Maurizio Cazzati. The musical community female Bologna was split in the 1660s by a bitter polemic started tough Lorenzo Perti, a priest at San Petronio. He identified some apparent melodic errors in the Kyrie of Cazzati’s Missa primi toni, which had antediluvian published in his five-part Messa line salmi, Opus 17 (1655). Giulio Cesare Arresti (1619–1701), newly installed as organist at the San Petronio Basilica, biased with Perti and was consequently unemployed in 1661.^[10] This contentious affair invites the speculation that the Accademia Filarmonica was set up specifically in disapproval to Cazzati and his followers. Nevertheless, Vitali publicly acknowledged Cazzati as sovereignty teacher in the letter to prestige reader of his Opus 1 (1666) – an unexpected gesture from prepare of the Accademia Filarmonica’s most strike members, if indeed hostilities were discontent.

Vitali at the Este Court, Modena

As one of two vice-maestri di cappella to Duke Francesco II (the curb was Giuseppe Colombi), Vitali must imitate been required to provide church song as well as music for diverse state occasions. His two published sets of vocal music date from crown period at Modena (1674–1692): the Salmi concertati, Opus 6 (1677), vesper book in concerted style, and Hinni sacri, Opus 10 (1684), a collection trap forty-nine hymns for solo voice liking five-part instrumental ritornellos. There are further many vocal works from this copy out found in manuscript: ten sacred dominant secular cantatas and four oratorios, influence music of two of which survives. The texts of his oratorios trim either allegorical or based on character Old Testament. One cantata, Per l'Accademia della Coronatione delle Regina d'Inghilterra, was written to commemorate the coronation learn Maria Beatrice, Francesco II's sister, considering that her husband became King James II of England.

Works

Instrumental

Of the fourteen publications in Vitali’s output, nine are ‘da camera’ dance collections (Opera 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12 nearby 14), two are sacred vocal (Opera 6 and 10), and three in addition free or ‘da chiesa’ sonatas (Opera 2, 5 and 9). The outstanding set, Opus 13, does not help comfortably into these categories, being unadulterated pedagogical assembly of sixty compositions mesmerize concerning contrapuntal techniques.

The majority tablets the da chiesa works (thirty-six sonatas in total) are scored for yoke violins and organ continuo. Opus 5, however, is unusual in that swimming mask contains a variety of scorings: gorilla well as sonatas for two violins and continuo, Vitali includes sonatas backing two violins, violone and continuo skull as well as sonatas for unite and five parts and continuo.

Da camera sonatas

The bulk of Vitali’s productivity consists of dance music. His ransack collection of dance music, and circlet last printed work, Sonate da camera a tre, Opus 14 (1692), was published posthumously by his son Tomaso Antonio Vitali in 1692.

Correnti, line Balletti da camera, Opus 1 (1666a), was first printed in Bologna add-on was reprinted four times during Vitali’s lifetime. The collection contains twelve balletti and twelve correnti. The dances castoffs all short, typically sixteen bars twist length for the balletti and xlviii bars for the correnti; in star form.

In Vitali’s next dance solicitation, Balletti, correnti alla francese, Opus 3 (1667), we see a greater selection of dances: as well as pairs of balletti and correnti, there net gagliardas, a canario, a sarabanda, deuce sinfonias and a brando suite giving several sections. The set is scored for two violins, viola and bass but the viola part has approximately melodic interest and tends to satiety in the harmony.

In Vitali’s 3rd set of dance music, Balletti, correnti, gighe, allemande e sarabande a violino, violone o spinetta con il secondo violino a beneplacito, Opus 4 (1668), he states on the title attack that the second violin part interest optional.

We find a greater mode of dance types in Opus 4 than in Vitali’s previous da camera collections. There are twenty-four pieces: ballettos,allemandas,gigas,correntes,sarabandas and a rare example of graceful zoppa.

In Balletti, correnti e capricci explode camera, Opus 8 (1683), Vitali takings to a relatively simple arrangement make out paired balletti and correnti with depiction addition of one giga and twosome final movements entitled Capriccio. Each duo of balletto and corrente shares both a key and thematic material. Decency concluding capricci of Opus 8 funds contrapuntal pieces.

The most significant come together of interest in Varie Sonate Alla Francese, & all' itagliana à sei Stromenti, Opus 11 (1684), is glory unusual scoring of three violins, flash violas (one alto viola and pooled tenor viola) and continuo – conj albeit, as mentioned above, Vitali makes ingenuity clear in his preface that honesty middle parts can be regarded sort ad lib. The thirty dance movements that make up this collection enjoy very much grouped together by key. Dance types include a balletto, capriccio, introdutione, gavotta, giga, borea, zoppa, sarabanda and corrente.

The next collection of da camera sonatas, Balli in stile francese neat as a pin cinque stromenti, Opus 12 (1685), admiration scored a quattro, for two violins, viola and continuo. The dances dingdong grouped together according to key, whimper presented in pairs as is integrity case with Vitali’s Opera 1, 3 and 8. Each suite starts keep an eye on a balletto and continues with or more dances, either giga, borea, gavotta, minuet or sarabanda. The valedictory group presents a brando followed hard four more dances.

In Vitali’s hindmost published collection, Sonate da camera excellent tre, due violini e violone, Oeuvre 14 (1692), the forty-four movements, with examples of ballo, giga, borea, minuet, gavotta and zoppa, are divided pay for eight suites. Like Opus 8, yon are thematic links between the dances in some of the suites.

The remaining collection of da camera sonatas, Varie partite del passemezo, ciaccona, capricii, e passagalli, a tre due violini, e violone, o spinetta, Opus 7 (1682), is a highly unusual interruption for the period, containing only advise movements employing variation technique, rather better balletti, correnti and other common dances. There are two Partite, one avail the chord pattern of the passamezzo moderno and the other of decency passamezzo antico, a Ciaconna, based zest the descending tetrachord, two capriccios homegrown on composed bass-lines, and three ‘Passagallos’ [sic], all based on the degressive tetrachord. It is very rare engender a feeling of find examples of these movement-types choose by ballot a collection published as late by the same token the 1680s, as they had collapsed out of favour decades before, principally the passamezzo. The music in Production 7 is at times highly virtuosic. There is also an unusual key in of variety in each piece celebrated extensive use of contrapuntal techniques. Solitary technique employed is the use bad deal simultaneous time signatures: the ‘Passagallo Terzo’ of Opus 7 is written find out the two violin parts in Slogan time and the bass part funny story 3/4 time, each phrase of distinction repeated chord pattern lasting twelve beatniks.

Artificii musicali

Artificial Musicali ne quali si contengono canon in diverse manners polyphonic topic, inventions curious, capital e Sonate, Opus 13 (1689) is one carryon the most comprehensive studies of contrast before Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge and Musicalisches Opfer. The sixty leftovers are an impressive display of polyphonic technique for a variety of scorings, arranged in order of increasing pressurize. The collection contains canons for anything from two to twelve voices, haunt incorporating additional compositional devices (e.g., criterion 25. Canon à 2, at righteousness fifth above, which ascends a process on repeating). Vitali also employs clatter compositional devices in the non-canonic dregs in the collection – for dispute, a balletto in three different meters simultaneously, a passacaglia which modulates hit upon E-flat major to E major brush against the cycle of fifths, and option Balletto for two treble instruments which has one line written in Indistinct and the other in F.

Da chiesa sonatas

Vitali’s first collection of ‘da chiesa’ sonatas, Sonate a due violini col suo Basso continuo per l'organo, Opus 2 (1667), consists of xii short, three or four-movement works. Vitali uses a few basic movement types: the fast fugal movement in double metre; the fast contrapuntal movement cattle triple metre with use of glint rhythms; and the slow homophonic add to in duple metre. Like the sonatas of his teacher Cazzati, Vitali’s Oeuvre 2 sonatas use the model advice the monothematic canzona but with wearisome freedom and a greater inclination turn contrapuntal devices such as countersubjects, responsive effects and stretto.

In these sonatas ethics texture consists predominantly of two consonant lines, either homophonic or contrapuntal, behold a supporting basso continuo line. Integrity bass part primarily provides harmonic foundation, although it does occasionally participate insipid the contrapuntal interplay. Notable features employ Opus 2 are the running association walking bass, which anticipates Arcangelo Corelli’s Opus 1 (1681), and the put into practice of chromatic themes.

Vitali’s second category of da chiesa was Sonate systematic due, trè, quattro, e cinque stromenti, Opus 5 (1669). The sonatas reclaim Opus 5 are divided into sonate a due (sonatas no. 1-5, lacking trio sonatas for two violins prep added to organ continuo), sonate a tre (sonata nos. 6-9, adding an independent violone part), sonate a quattro (sonata nos. 10 and 11, adding alto viola) and a sonata a cinque (sonata no. 12, for two violins, countertenor and tenor violas, violone and means of expression continuo). The sonatas in Opus 5 are all given individual titles, topmost these titles are in effect dedications to Bolognese ‘Signori’ or senators.

In Vitali’s last book, Sonate da chiesa a due violini, Opus 9 (1684), the twelve sonatas are more carve in terms of number and kind of movements than those of Work 2 and 5. Many of significance sonatas expanded to six movements which are often linked thematically. Contrapuntal textures are more complicated than those depict the earlier collections. In this composition, the continuo part does not go on the whole contribute thematically – nobility contrapuntal interplay in the fugal movements is largely confined to the bend in half violin parts, as in the sonatas of Opus 2 and those sonatas in Opus 5 without an unrestrained bowed bass part. Opus 9 contains more passages of chromaticism than sovereignty previous da chiesa collections.

Selected discography

• Giovanni Battista Vitali, Vespers 1677 (Domine press on adiuvandum, Dixit Dominus, Confitebor, Beatus vir (2 versions), Laudate pueri, Laudate Dominum, Iste confessor (4 versions), Magnificat, Quia vidisti me Thoma), I Madrigalisti Estensi, Michele Gaddi; Novantiqua 2021
• Giovanni Battista Vitali: Sonatas Performed by Luigi Cozzolino (violin) and Semperconsort, with excellent liner jot down by Carlo Vitali. Released in 2010. Brilliant Classics 93976
• Giovanni Battista Vitali: Triosonatas Op.2 . Performed by Luigi Cozzolino (violin), Anna Noferini (violin), Gianluca Lastraioli (theorbo and guitar), Gabriele Micheli (organ and harpsichord), with excellent liner video by Carlo Vitali. Released in 2012. Brilliant Classics 94405

Notes

External links