Gaetano Brunetti

Gaetano Brunetti or Cayetano Brunetti (* 1744 in Fano ; † December 16, 1798 in Colmenar de Oreja near Madrid ) was an Italian composer , violinist and conductor.

Life

Gaetano Brunetti probably learned from Pietro Nardini , among others , the exact period is not known. Probably before 1760 he moved to Madrid, because at this time he was composing his incidental music " Comedia de Garcia del Castañal ". From 1767 he was a violinist in the Royal Chapel, where he worked until the end of his life.

In 1767 Brunetti became the violin teacher and music master of the Prince of Asturias from King Charles III. appointed in 1779 as director of the musical events in Aranjuez , the summer residence of the Spanish royal family.

In 1788 Charles III died. and his son Charles IV succeeded him to the throne that same year. Charles IV was a great music lover and the ensemble "musicos de la real camera" was founded, which only plays for Charles's pleasure. Ensemble members were: Brunetti (violin), his son Francisco Brunetti (violoncello) and Manuell Espinosa (harpsichord). In 1795 the Royal Chamber Orchestra was founded and Brunetti was appointed director.

music

Brunetti wrote mainly music for strings and orchestra. Here his numerous performance titles show the sophistication of his instrumental treatment. Works for wind orchestra are rare, as are vocal works. Works for a solo keyboard instrument have not survived.

The numerous contrasts that follow one another closely are characteristic of his music: rapid mood swings, strong dynamic contrasts and abrupt changes in key. Brunetti uses the sonata form very flexibly and unconventionally.

Works

• Vocal music
  • spiritual: 1 mass, 1 miserere, 3 lamentaciones
  • secular: concert arias

• Instrumental music
  • Orchestral works: incidental music for “ Comedia de Garcia del Castañal ”, 6 overtures, 18 minuets, 12 contratances, 7 marches, 8 gallop, 32 symphonies, 4 concertante symphonies, variations for orchestra
  • Chamber music: 1 sonata for viola, 23 divertimenti for strings, 50 quartets, 12 sextets, 67 sonatas for violin, 30 trios

Sources and literature

• Introductory texts and literature references on largely unknown composers

• J. Subira: "El compositor Iriarte (1750-1791)" Barcelona 1949/50.
• C. Johannson: "French Music Publishers' Catalog of the Second Half of the Eighteenth Century", Stockholm 1955.
• G. Chase: "The Music of Spain", NY 1959.
• Alice Belgray: "Gaetano Brunetti: an exploratory bio-bibligraphical study", Dissertation University of Michigan 1970.
• William S. Newman: The Sonata in the Classical Era, "Chapel Hill 1963, 4th Edition 1983 ISBN 0-393-95275-4 .
• Germán Labrador: "Gaetano Brunetti (1744-1798). Catálogo crítico, temático y cronológico". AEDOM, 2005. ISBN 8492219580 .