September 12, 2016.Frescobaldi, Cherubini and Schoenberg.Girolamo Frescobaldi, one of the first great keyboard composers, was born on or around September 13th of 1583.We posted a rather detailed entry about him two years ago, so this time we’ll present some of his compositions.As we mentioned, Frescobaldi, even though he wrote in different genres was best known for his works for the keyboard.At the beginning of the 17th century, the keyboard meant the organ or the harpsichord.One of the major collections of organ pieces Frescobaldi wrote late in his life is called Fiori musicali ("Musical Flowers").It was published in 1635 in Rome; at the time Frescobaldi was working as the organist at St Peter’s Basilica, a prestigious position.Fiori musicali consists of three masses: Missa della Domenica (Sunday Mass), Missa degli Apostoli ("Mass of the Apostles") and Missa della Madonna ("Mass of the Virgin").At that time, the organ mass was still in development: most masses were choral works.Frescobaldi’s organ setting became highly influential; Henry Purcell studied it, Johann Sebastian Bach copied the whole set by hand.None of the masses cover the complete service; all three start with a Toccata, to be played before the mass.A polyphonic Kyrie section follows, and then a rendition of Credo (written as a Ricercar) and another Toccata. Here’s the third Mass, Missa della Madonna, performed by the organist Roberto Loreggian.About 20 years earlier, in 1615, Frescobladi had published a book of keyboard pieces called “Primo libro di toccata” or the first book of toccatas.The toccatas (there are 12 of them) can be played on the organ or on a harpsichord.Here’s Toccata Prima, played on the harpsichord by Laura Alvini.
Another Italian, Luigi Cherubini lived and worked two centuries after Frescobaldi.He was born on September 14th of 1760 (although some sources state September 8th as his birthday) in Florence.A child prodigy, he studied counterpoint at an early age and also played the harpsichord.When he was thirteen, he composed sections of a Mass and a cantata.He received the Grand Duke’s scholarship to study in Milan and Bologna.During those years he composed several operas (throughout his career he wrote more than 30).In 1785 he traveled to London and then to Paris, where he was presented to Queen Marie Antoinette.The following year, he permanently moved to Paris, where he shared an apartment with his friend and great violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti.Viotti helped him to be appointed the director of Théâtre Feydeau, then called Théâtre de Monsieur, under whose patronage it was created (“Monsieur,” the Count of Provence, the grandson of Louis XV, would become Louis XVIII and reign after the fall of Napoleon, till 1824).Cherubini composed a number of successful operas, presented either at his theater or at the Opéra-Comique (the two theaters would eventually merge).The French Revolution affected Cherubini, as he was associated with the royal family, and at some point he even had to flee Paris, but eventually Napoleon extended him his patronage, however reluctantly (he didn’t like Cherubini’s music).Eventually Cherubini moved away from opera and toward liturgical music.He wrote several masses and a Requiem in C minor, to commemorate the execution of Louis XVI.The Requiem was highly praised by Beethoven and later by Schumann and Brahms (Beethoven held Cherubini in especially high regard, considering him his most talented contemporary).Twenty years later, Cherubini wrote another requiem, in D minor, to be performed at his funeral.Here’s the overture to one of Cherubini’s most successful operas, Les Deux Journées (Two days).Christoph Spering conducts the Neues Berliner Kammerorchester.
Arnold Schoenberg, one of the most influential composer of the first half of the 20th century, was also born this week, on September 13th of 1874.We’ll write about him another time.
Frescobaldi, Cherubini and Schoenberg, 2016
September 12, 2016. Frescobaldi, Cherubini and Schoenberg. Girolamo Frescobaldi, one of the first great keyboard composers, was born on or around September 13th of 1583. We posted a rather
detailed entry about him two years ago, so this time we’ll present some of his compositions. As we mentioned, Frescobaldi, even though he wrote in different genres was best known for his works for the keyboard. At the beginning of the 17th century, the keyboard meant the organ or the harpsichord. One of the major collections of organ pieces Frescobaldi wrote late in his life is called Fiori musicali ("Musical Flowers"). It was published in 1635 in Rome; at the time Frescobaldi was working as the organist at St Peter’s Basilica, a prestigious position. Fiori musicali consists of three masses: Missa della Domenica (Sunday Mass), Missa degli Apostoli ("Mass of the Apostles") and Missa della Madonna ("Mass of the Virgin"). At that time, the organ mass was still in development: most masses were choral works. Frescobaldi’s organ setting became highly influential; Henry Purcell studied it, Johann Sebastian Bach copied the whole set by hand. None of the masses cover the complete service; all three start with a Toccata, to be played before the mass. A polyphonic Kyrie section follows, and then a rendition of Credo (written as a Ricercar) and another Toccata. Here’s the third Mass, Missa della Madonna, performed by the organist Roberto Loreggian. About 20 years earlier, in 1615, Frescobladi had published a book of keyboard pieces called “Primo libro di toccata” or the first book of toccatas. The toccatas (there are 12 of them) can be played on the organ or on a harpsichord. Here’s Toccata Prima, played on the harpsichord by Laura Alvini.
Another Italian, Luigi Cherubini lived and worked two centuries after Frescobaldi. He was born on September 14th of 1760 (although some sources state September 8th as his birthday) in Florence. A child prodigy, he studied counterpoint at an early age and also played the harpsichord. When he was thirteen, he composed sections of a Mass and a cantata. He received the Grand Duke’s scholarship to study in Milan and Bologna. During those years he composed several operas (throughout his career he wrote more than 30). In 1785 he traveled to London and then to Paris, where he was presented to Queen Marie Antoinette. The following year, he permanently moved to Paris, where he shared an apartment with his friend and great violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti. Viotti helped him to be appointed the director of Théâtre Feydeau, then called Théâtre de Monsieur, under whose patronage it was created (“Monsieur,” the Count of Provence, the grandson of Louis XV, would become Louis XVIII and reign after the fall of Napoleon, till 1824). Cherubini composed a number of successful operas, presented either at his theater or at the Opéra-Comique (the two theaters would eventually merge). The French Revolution affected Cherubini, as he was associated with the royal family, and at some point he even had to flee Paris, but eventually Napoleon extended him his patronage, however reluctantly (he didn’t like Cherubini’s music). Eventually Cherubini moved away from opera and toward liturgical music. He wrote several masses and a Requiem in C minor, to commemorate the execution of Louis XVI. The Requiem was highly praised by Beethoven and later by Schumann and Brahms (Beethoven held Cherubini in especially high regard, considering him his most talented contemporary). Twenty years later, Cherubini wrote another requiem, in D minor, to be performed at his funeral. Here’s the overture to one of Cherubini’s most successful operas, Les Deux Journées (Two days). Christoph Spering conducts the Neues Berliner Kammerorchester.
Arnold Schoenberg, one of the most influential composer of the first half of the 20th century, was also born this week, on September 13th of 1874. We’ll write about him another time.