Giovanni Battista Bassani
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Giovanni Battista Bassani (c. 1650 – 1 October 1716) was an Italian composer, violinist, and organist.
Biography
Bassani was born in
maestro di cappella at Duke Alessandro II della Mirandola's court in 1680, and was elected principe at the Accademica Filarmonica in Bologna. He became maestro di cappella at the Accademia della Morte in Ferrara in 1683, and then maestro di cappella at Ferrara Cathedral in 1686. For his contributions to the musical life of Ferrara, he was often called "Bassani of Ferrara". He wrote 76 liturgically ordered services for use at Ferrara Cathedral between 1710 and 1712. He became director of music at Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo
in 1712, and also taught at the Congregazione di Carità in the same city until his death.
Bassani was a celebrated violinist in his own time, and his fame was compounded by Burney's praise for him. His trio sonatas are his best-known and most often performed pieces in modern times. He wrote 13 oratorios, but only four survive, and all 13 of his operas have been lost aside from a few arias from Gli amori alla moda.
Works
- Operas
- L'amorosa preda di Paride, 1683
- Falarido, tiranno d'Agrigento, 1685
- L'Alarico, re de'Goti, 1685
- Vitige, re de'Vandalia, 1686
- Agrippina in Baia, 1687
- Gli amori alla moda, 1688, 10 arias survive
- Il trionfo di Venere in Ida, 1688
- La Ginevra, infanta di Scozia, 1690
- Le vicende di cocceio Nerva, 1691
- Gli amori tra gl'odii, o sia Il Ramiro in Norvegia, 1693
- Roderico, 1696
- Armida al campo, 1711
- Oratorios
- L'Esaltazione di S Croce, 1675
- L'Epulone, 1675
- La tromba della divina misericordia, 1676
- L'amore ingeniero, 1678
- Il mistico Roveto, 1681
- La morte delusa, 1686
- Il Davide punito overo La pestilente strage d'Israele, 1686; performed as Nella luna eclissata dal Cristiano valore, 1687, and as La Pietà trionfante della morte, 1692 and 1697
- Il Giona, 1689
- Mosè risorto dalle acque, 1694
- Il conte di Bacheville, 1696
- Susanna, 1697
- Gl'impegni del divino amore nel transito della Beata Caterina Vegridetta di Bologna, 1703
- Il trionfo della Fede, 1704
- Other vocal works
- 8 masses
- at least 20 motets
- various sacred solo vocal works and choral works
- 76 services, most with four solo voices, chorus, and basso continuo
- Instrumental music
- 16 trio sonatas
- 12 sinfonie da chiesa, op. 5, 1683
References
- Smith/Vanscheeuwijck, "Giovanni Battista Bassani". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians online.
External links
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