Leonardo Vinci

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Leonardo Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci (* around 1690 in Strongoli ; † interlocutory 27. May and 29. May 1730 in Naples ) was an Italian composer of the Baroque and one of the most important representatives of the Neapolitan school .

Life

Leonardo Vinci, caricature by Pier Leone Ghezzi

Vinci was accepted into the Neapolitan Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo in 1708 , where Gaetano Greco was probably his teacher. In 1719 he appeared for the first time as a composer to the public with the "Commedia per musica" (a specifically Neapolitan early form of opera buffa ) Lo cecato fauzo , the text of which is written in the Neapolitan language. It was performed with great acclaim at the Teatro dei Fiorentini, the premier address for comic operas in Naples. For this house Vinci wrote a number of other similar works until 1722, which have been lost except for Li zite 'ngalera . Vinci's fame as a composer of musical comedies opened the doors to serious opera for him. His first opera seria Publio Cornelio Scipione was also received with great acclaim. Commissions for foreign theaters, in particular Rome and Venice, followed quickly. After Alessandro Scarlatti's death in 1725, Vinci succeeded him as Pro-Vicemaestro of the Royal Court Chapel in Naples. In the meantime his fame had spread far beyond Italy; That year Georg Friedrich Handel performed a pasticcio in London , which he put together from arias by Vinci. In February 1728 Vinci joined the Rosary Brotherhood of the Church of Santa Caterina a Formiello in Naples and shortly afterwards became Kapellmeister at the Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo. After a few months he gave this office over to Francesco Durante in order to be able to devote himself more to operatic composition. He became friends with the poet Pietro Metastasio , some of whose libretti, used by numerous composers throughout the 18th century, were the first to set: Siroe (1726 Venice), Catone in Utica (1728 Rome), Semiramide riconosciuta and Alessandro nell'Indie (both 1729 Rome). On February 4, 1730, the first performance of Artaserse took place in the Teatro delle Dame in Rome , the success of which surpassed that of all of his previous operas. It is considered Vinci's masterpiece. A little later the composer suffered a sudden and probably unnatural death, the circumstances of which could never be fully clarified. It is said that he was poisoned because of a love affair. The burial costs were covered by the Rosary Brotherhood of the Church of Santa Caterina a Formiello.

Works and musical characteristics

Vinci mainly composed operas, as well as some oratorios , cantatas and the serenata La contesa de 'numi (1729). Pure instrumental music does not seem to have appealed to him. The 12 Flute Sonatas, which first appeared in print in London in 1746, must have been foisted on him by an enterprising publisher - proof of the appeal of Vinci's name even after his death.

The comic operas with which Vinci began his career as a composer have been lost except for Li zite 'ngalera (The Maidens on the Galley; Naples 1722); the latter is also the oldest Neapolitan “Commedia per musica”, the full score of which has been preserved. His work in the field of opera seria follows on from that of Alessandro Scarlatti , although he largely breaks with his artistic principles. In place of the variety of forms that characterize Scarlatti's operas, Vinci has a strong tendency towards standardization. His operas usually consist of a long chain of da capo arias (usually around 30 in number), which are linked by recitatives. In addition, there is occasionally a duet for the female and male protagonist, but this is not mandatory by the genre convention. Vinci deviated from this scheme only occasionally. The overture to Alessandro nell'Indie leads directly to the first scene, which takes place on an abandoned battlefield. In Ifigenia in Tauride (Venice 1725) there is a trio . Catone in Utica ends with a recitative accompanied by the orchestra, during which the titular character commits suicide on the open stage (a scene that caused an uproar among contemporary audiences).

While Scarlatti's arias are often accompanied by only a few, but carefully worked out instrumental parts, Vinci prefers the full string orchestra, which is occasionally reinforced by oboes and horns. This results in a clear division of tasks: the main melody is played by the violins in unison, the other voices take over the rhythmic and harmonic support, which often has a purely mechanical function. In ritornelles there are passages without leading melodies with arpeggios moved by harmonic progressions or crescendos also combined with a frenzied scale, anticipation of the Mannheim rocket . The sonorous, two-dimensional orchestral movement usually serves as a “carpet” for the singing voice. This was Vinci's main focus. He often succeeded in making the text sound very effective, especially when it comes to Metastasio's libretti, the verses of which are made for this type of music. Vinci's melodies are usually edgy and cheerful, at the same time graceful, and consist of an accumulation of relatively independent fragments. His extraordinary talent for inventing melodies that flatter the throats of the singers as well as the ears of the audience is arguably the main reason for Vinci's great success during his lifetime.

Appreciation

Vinci's brilliant and elegant style became the model for a whole generation of opera composers, especially Johann Adolph Hasse , the most important representative of the genre after Vinci's early death. Metastasio's poems and Vinci's music had a decisive influence on the appearance of opera in the 18th century. The rounded and symmetrical melodies that were characteristic of Vinci and were one of the first to introduce into the operatic aria also influenced instrumental music and prepared the musical style of the classical period. That is certainly no small achievement. A fair appreciation of this composer will of course only be possible when at least some of his operas return to the stage. The " historical performance practice " still has some treasures to unearth here. A first step in this direction, however, was the production of his last opera Artaserse (Rome 1730) based on the famous libretto by Metastasio by the Musikwerkstatt Wien in February 2007, which the press and audience received extremely benevolently a work by Vinci. In the recording, the parts originally written for castrati are taken over by counter tenors and male sopranos .

factories

The following information is based on the list of works on Grove Music Online and the data records in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna .

Operas

  • Lo cecato fauzo, “commedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Aniello Piscopo; April 19, 1719, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; 11 arias received
  • Le ddoie lettere, “invenzione per musica” in three acts, Agniolo Birini; July 9, 1719, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; not received
  • Lo scassone, “capriccio per musica” in three acts; - Carnival 1720, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; 1 aria received
  • Lo scagno, “fantasia marenaresca” in three acts; Mid-1720, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; not received
  • Lo castiello saccheato, “commedia per musica” in three acts (together with Michele De Falco ); Libretto: Francesco Oliva; October 26, 1720, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; not received
  • Lo barone de Trocchia, “commedia per musica” in three acts; January 25, 1721, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; not received
  • Don Ciccio, “commedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Bernardo Saddumene; September 6, 1721, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; not received
  • Li zite 'ngalera , “commedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Bernardo Saddumene; 3rd January 1722, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples
  • La festa di Bacco, “commedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Francesco Antonio Tullio ; 29 August 1722, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples, 10 arias received
  • Publio Cornelio Scipione, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Bernardo Saddumene after Agostino Piovene ; November 4, 1722, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples, with Intermezzo Bacocco e Ermosilla ; received three arias;
  • Lo labborinto, “commedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Bernardo Saddumene; Carnival 1723, Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples; 3 arias received
  • Silla dittatore ( Il tiranno eroe ), “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Vincenzo Cassani ; October 1, 1723, Palazzo Reale, Naples, with Intermezzo Albino e Plautilla
  • Farnace (first version), “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Antonio Maria Lucchini ; January 8, 1724, Teatro delle Dame, Rome
  • La mogliere fedele, “commedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Bernardo Saddumene; May 14, 1724, Teatro della Pace (Teatro Nuovo), Naples; not received
  • Eraclea, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Silvio Stampiglia ; October 1, 1724, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples
  • Ifigenia in Tauride, “tragedia” in five acts; Libretto: Benedetto Pasqualigo; Carnival 1725, Teatro San Giovanni Crisostomo , Venice; received some arias
  • La Rosmira fedele ( Partenope ), “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Silvio Stampiglia ; Carnival 1725, Teatro San Giovanni Crisostomo , Venice; 1738 in Klagenfurt (pasticcio); 1739 in Graz (pasticcio)
  • Il trionfo di Camilla, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Carlo Innocenzo Frugoni after Silvio Stampiglia ; Spring 1725, Teatro Ducale , Parma; received some arias
  • Astianatte, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Antonio Salvi ; December 2, 1725, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples, with Intermezzo Urania e Clito
  • Didone abbandonata , “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; January 14, 1726, Teatro delle Dame, Rome; 1734 in Perugia; 1735 in Jaroměřice ; 1737 edited by Georg Friedrich Händel (→ Didone abbandonata (Handel) )
  • Siroe re di Persia , “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio , February 1726, Teatro San Giovanni Crisostomo , Venice; 1728 in Verona; 1730 to Macerata; 1734 in Prague
  • L'Ernelinda ( La fede tradita ), “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Francesco Silvani ; November 4, 1726, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples, with Intermezzo Erighetta e Don Chilone after Antonio Salvis L'ammalato immaginario ; 1727 in Florence; 1729 in Livorno
  • Gismondo, re di Polonia ( Il vincitor generoso ), “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Francesco Briani; January 11th 1727, Teatro delle Dame, Rome
  • La caduta de 'Decemviri, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Silvio Stampiglia ; October 1, 1727, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples, with Intermezzo Flacco e Servilia to Stampiglia
  • Catone in Utica , “tragedia per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; January 19, 1728, Teatro delle Dame, Rome; 1729 in Florence; 1730 in Livorno; 1732 in Naples; 1746 in Venice
  • Medo, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Carlo Innocenzo Frugoni; May 1728, Teatro Ducale , Parma; 1735 as Pasticcio Medea riconosciuta in Vienna
  • Flavio Anicio Olibrio, “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Pariati and Apostolo Zeno ; December 11, 1728, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples, with Intermezzo Il corteggiano affettato ; 1740 in Jaroměřice; some arias and a trio preserved
  • Semiramide riconosciuta , “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; February 6, 1729, Teatro delle Dame, Rome; 1733 edited by Georg Friedrich Händel (→ Semiramide riconosciuta (Handel) )
  • [Il] Farnace (second version), “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Antonio Maria Lucchini ; August 28, 1729, Teatro San Bartolomeo , Naples, with Intermezzo L'amante geloso ; received some arias
  • Alessandro nell'Indie , “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; January 2, 1730, Teatro delle Dame, Rome; 1731 in Livorno (Pasticcio), 1732 in Reggio nell'Emilia, 1732 in Florence (Pasticcio), 1733 in Brescia, 1734 in Urbino, 1735 edited by Giovanni Battista Ferrandini in Munich, 1736 in Parma, 1740 in Lucca
  • Artaserse , “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; February 4, 1730, Teatro delle Dame, Rome; many more performances in other cities; 1734 edited by Georg Friedrich Händel (→ Arbace )
  • Demofoonte , “dramma per musica” in three acts; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; Carnival 1741, Teatro Pubblico, Lucca

Pasticci compiled by Vinci

Other stage works

  • Le nozze di Nettuno l'equestre con Anfitrite, “introduzione per musica alla danza da rappresentarsi à cavallo”; Libretto: Carlo Innocenzo Frugoni, July 22, 1728, Teatro Farnese, Parma
  • Cantata à 6, "serenata", autumn 1728, Rome?
  • Arias in Massimiano, “tragedia cristiana”, libretto: A. Marchese; 1729, Naples
  • La contesa de 'numi , "componimento drammatico"; Libretto: Pietro Metastasio ; November 25, 1729, Palazzo Altemps, Rome;

Cantatas

  • All'error d'un alma infida (per la Passione), for soprano, strings and basso continuo
  • Amor di Citerea gentilissimo figlio, for soprano and basso continuo
  • Dove sei che non ti sento ( Olympia abbandonata ), for soprano and basso continuo
  • Finché in ciel saran le stelle, for soprano, violin and basso continuo
  • Mesta, oh Dio, fra queste selve, for soprano / alto, strings and basso continuo
  • Mi costa tante lagrime, for soprano and basso continuo
  • Nice son io pur quello, for soprano and basso continuo
  • Parto, ma con qual core ( La partenza del Faustina ), for soprano and basso continuo; 1723
  • Peccatore, che fai? ( Cantata morale ), for soprano, alto, strings and basso continuo
  • Pendeva in dura croce ( Cantata di Passione ), for soprano, strings and basso continuo
  • Per soggiogar la libertà di Roma ( Orazio al ponte ), for bass and basso continuo
  • Silvan dimmi Silvano ( Filli a Silvano che parte ), for alto and basso continuo; June 9, 1727
  • Tu partisti o del core, for soprano and basso continuo

Doubtful cantatas

  • Del bel Tamigi in riva, for soprano and basso continuo ( Benedetto Marcello ?)
  • Dite vedeste forse, for soprano, strings and basso continuo ( Leonardo Leo ?)
  • È pure un gran portento, for soprano and basso continuo
  • Fille tu parti oh Dio, for soprano and basso continuo ( Alessandro Scarlatti ?)
  • Pietosa l'aurora in cielo, for soprano and basso continuo
  • Veggo la selva e'l monte, for soprano and basso continuo; Text: Pietro Metastasio

Oratorios

  • Le glorie del SS Rosario ; October 6, 1722, S Caterina a Formiello, Naples
  • Maria dolorata ; ? 6. October 1725, S Caterina a Formiello, Naples
  • Oratorio for four voices (Maria, Angelo, Alba, Selim); October 6 - 1727, S Caterina a Formiello, Naples

Liturgical works

  • Kyrie and Gloria for SSAATTBB, trumpet, oboe, strings and organ
  • Motets
    • Agitata cum procella
    • De valle acquosa
    • Fera mumurat procella
    • In timida procella
    • Sum in mid-tempestatum

Doubtful spiritual works

  • Mass in A major for five voices and orchestra ( Nicola Porpora ?)
  • Te Deum for four voices and orchestra
  • Laudate Dominum
  • Litanie della Beatissima Virgine
  • Miserere for four voices and orchestra (formerly attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi , probably by Vinci)

Instrumental works

  • nine minuets in Italian Menuets des célèbres Léonardo Vinci, Scarlatti, Bononcini (Paris, 1737)
  • some works in 12 solos, fl / vn, bc (hpd / vc)… by… Vinci and other Italian authors (London, around 1746)
  • Toccata for organ

literature

  • Helmut Hucke: Vinci, Leonardo. In: Friedrich Blume (Ed.): The music in past and present . Volume 13: Syrinx - folk song, folk music and folk dance. Bärenreiter, Kassel et al. 1966, Sp. 1660–1664.
  • Reinhard Strohm : Italian opera arias of the early Settecento. (1720-1730) (= Analecta musicologica. 16, 1-2). 2 volumes (Vol. 1: Studies. Vol. 2: Sample notes and lists. ). Volk, Cologne 1976, ISBN 3-87252-095-4 (vol. 1), ISBN 3-87252-098-9 (vol. 2), (also: Berlin, Technical University, dissertation, 1971).
  • Kurt Sven Markstrom: The Operas of Leonardo Vinci, Napoletano. Pendragon Press, Hillsdale, New York 2007, ISBN 978-1-57647-094-7 .

Web links

Commons : Leonardo Vinci  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Robert B. Meikle: Vinci, Leonardo. In: Stanley Sadie (Ed.): The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Reprint in paperback ed. Macmillan Publishers Ltd., London 1995, ISBN 1-56159-174-2 , B. 19, pp. 785-787, here 787.
  2. ^ Robert B. Meikle: Vinci, Leonardo. In: Stanley Sadie (Ed.): The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Reprint in paperback ed. Macmillan Publishers Ltd., London 1995, ISBN 1-56159-174-2 , B. 19, pp. 785-787, here 786.
  3. ↑ Kurt Mark current:  Vinci, Leonardo. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
  4. ↑ Demofoonte (Leonardo Vinci) in the Corago information system of the University of Bologna , accessed on August 6, 2020.
personal data
SURNAME Vinci, Leonardo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian Baroque composer
BIRTH DATE around 1690
PLACE OF BIRTH Strongoli
DATE OF DEATH May 1730
PLACE OF DEATH Naples