40 Baldassare Galuppi Very Interesting Surprising Fun Facts

40 Baldassare Galuppi Very Interesting Surprising Fun Facts

(Last Updated On: October 7, 2021)

Baldassare Galuppi very interesting facts are full with surprises. Baldassare Galuppi (18 October 1706 – 3 January 1785) was a Venetian composer who was born on the Venetian Republic’s island of Burano. This article wqill featuer many more Baldassare Galuppi facts like these.

He was part of a generation of composers that included Johann Adolph Hasse, Giovanni Battista Sammartini, and C. P. E. Bach, whose compositions are representative of the prevalent Galant music in Europe throughout the 18th century, interesting facts about Baldassare Galuppi. He was a global success, spending time in Vienna, London, and Saint Petersburg during his career, but his main base remained Venice, where he held a series of top positions.

Galuppi’s ability as a keyboardist has been extensively recognized. “Chamber concerts were held every Wednesday in the antechamber of the imperial apartments, in order to enjoy the special style and fiery accuracy of the clavier playing of this great artist; thus did the virtuoso earn the overall approval of the court,” according to Hillers Wöchentliche Nachrichten in 1772, Baldassare Galuppi facts.

Galuppi had moderate success in opera seria in his early career, but after collaborating with writer and librettist Carlo Goldoni in the 1740s, he became recognized across Europe for his comedic operas in the new dramma giocoso style, Baldassare Galuppi interesting facts. He was dubbed “the founder of comic opera” by subsequent generations of composers. Some of his mature opere series, for which he enlisted the poet and playwright Metastasio as a librettist, was also well-received.

Galuppi worked for philanthropic and religious organizations in Venice throughout his career, the most famous of which was maestro di cappella at the Doge’s chapel, St Mark’s Basilica. He created a great deal of holy music in his many roles, Baldassare Galuppi interesting facts. He was also a superb player on keyboard instruments and a composer for them.

Galuppi’s music was virtually forgotten outside of Italy in the second half of the 18th century, and Napoleon’s invasion of Venice in 1797 resulted in Galuppi’s manuscripts being spread around Western Europe, and in many cases burned or lost.

Baldassare Galuppi interesting fun facts

Baldassare Galuppi Very Interesting Facts

1. Galuppi was born on the Venetian Lagoon island of Burano, and was known as “Il Buranello” from the age of 22, a nickname that even appears in his signature on his music manuscripts: “Baldassare Galuppi, nicknamed ‘Buranello’.”

2. His father, a barber, was also a violinist in theatrical orchestras and is said to have been his son’s first music instructor.

3. Galuppi was named director of music at the Ospedale dei Mendicanti in Venice in 1740, where he taught and conducted as well as composing liturgical music and oratorios.

4. Galuppi wrote his first opera, Gli amici rivali, at the age of 15, which was presented poorly in Chioggia and Vicenza under the title La fede nell’incostanza, according to Caffi.

5. Galuppi was the harpsichordist at Florence’s Teatro della Pergola from 1726 until 1728. When he returned to Venice in 1728, he created Gl’odi delusi dal sangue, a second opera composed in cooperation with another Lotti pupil, Giovanni Battista Pescetti, which was highly received when it premiered at the Teatro San Angelo.

6. Galuppi’s name lives on in the 1855 poem “A Toccata of Galuppi’s” by English poet Robert Browning, although this hasn’t helped to keep the composer’s music in the public repertoire.

7. Some of Galuppi’s works were sporadically played in the 200 years after his death, but his compositions were not widely resurrected in live performance or on recordings until the latter years of the twentieth century.

8. Grove’s Dictionary mentions sinfonias, overtures, trios and string quartets, and concerti for solo instruments and strings among Galuppi’s instrumental works.

9. Galuppi resumed his job with the Mendicanti and began writing for the opera houses upon his return to Venice in May 1743.

10. Most biographers have forgotten about Galuppi’s trip to Vienna in 1748/49, when he was summoned to Maria Theresa’s court to celebrate the empress’ birthday at the Burgtheater on May 14, 1748.

11. In 1952, during the Venice Music Festival, La diavolessa was resurrected for the first time.

12. In his first year with the Mendicanti, he wrote 31 compositions, including 16 motets, 13 Salve Regina settings, and two psalm settings.

13. Despite his international fame as an operatic composer, he continued to create holy music throughout his career.

14. Galuppi was asked to work in London in 1741.

15. Il filosofo di campagna was resurrected in 1959 and presented at the Buxton Festival in 1985, starring Ilva Ligabue and Renato Capecchi.

16. Galuppi’s (and Goldoni’s) more particular contribution to comic opera was the large-scale buffo finale to finish the acts, in addition to his general contribution to the basics of comic opera, establishing the music as at least as significant as the lyrics.

17. Although no evidence exists, an oral tradition linked to Francesco Caffi in the nineteenth century claims that Antonio Lotti, the principal organist at St Mark’s Basilica, educated the young Galuppi in composition and harpsichord.

18. In his first year with the Mendicanti, he wrote 31 compositions, including 16 motets, 13 Salve Regina settings, and two psalm settings. Despite his international fame as an operatic composer, he continued to create holy music throughout his career.

19. Galuppi wrote his first opera, Gli amici rivali, at the age of 15, which was presented poorly in Chioggia and Vicenza under the title La fede nell’incostanza, according to Caffi.

20. Catherine the Great of Russia made it known early in 1764 that she wanted Galuppi to come to Saint Petersburg as her court composer and conductor through diplomatic means.

21. Galuppi was named director of music at the Ospedale dei Mendicanti in Venice in 1740, where he taught and conducted as well as composed liturgical music and oratorios.

22. The partners followed it up the next year with Dorinda, an opera seria. Galuppi began to obtain commissions for operas and oratorios after this minor success.

23. The Senate of Venice decided to release Galuppi for three-year employment at the Russian court after lengthy discussions between Russia and the Venetian authorities.

24. Galuppi was the sixth most prolific opera composer, according to The Musical Times, with 109 operas.

25. Musicians from the generation after him dubbed him “the founder of comic opera.”

26. He was in England for 18 months, managing shows at the King’s Theatre for an Italian opera company.

27. At least three of the 11 operas he directed were known to be his own works: Penelope, Scipione in Cartagine, and Sirbace; a fourth was staged immediately after he returned to Venice from London.

28. Galuppi was born on the Venetian Lagoon island of Burano and was known as “Il Buranello” from the age of 22. His autograph on his music manuscripts bears the moniker.

29. His father was a barber who also played the violin in theater orchestras and was his son’s first music instructor, according to legend.

30. Galuppi was the harpsichordist at Florence’s Teatro della Pergola from 1726 until 1728.

31. When he returned to Venice in 1728, he wrote a second opera, Gl’odi delusi dal sangue, with another Lotti pupil, Giovanni Battista Pescetti; it was favorably received when it premiered at the Teatro San Angelo.

32. “Galuppi had had more effect on English music than any other Italian composer,” observed his contemporary, English musicologist Charles Burney.

33. Galuppi’s piano music was well regarded. Although few of his sonatas were published during his lifetime, several are still available in manuscript.

34. He requested a leave of absence from the Mendicanti authorities, which they granted.

35. Following Browning’s poem, there were a few revivals of Galuppi’s compositions, and the composer’s music was performed at both church and concert hall tributes for the poet.

36. A growing number of Galuppi’s works have been recorded since the late twentieth century.

37. Galuppi was named vice-maestro of the Doge’s chapel, St Mark’s, in May 1748.

38. Galuppi was named maestro di Capella of St Mark’s in April 1762, and maestro di coro (choir master) at the Ospedale degli Incurabili in July of the same year.

39. Early in 1764, Catherine the Great of Russia communicated to Galuppi that she wanted him to come to Saint Petersburg as her court composer and conductor through diplomatic channels.

40. Galuppi’s last opera, La serva per amore, debuted in October 1773. In May 1782, he gave concerts to commemorate Pope Pius VI’s visit to Venice. Despite his deteriorating condition, he continued to compose after that. The 1784 Christmas mass at St Mark’s is his final known finished work.

Baldassare Galuppi

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