Pier Francesco Tosi
Pier Francesco Tosi (born August 13, 1654 in Cesena , † after July 16, 1732 in Faenza ) was an Italian castrato , composer and author of an important singing school.
Life
Tosi, the son of the Bolognese composer Giuseppe Felice Tosi , appeared as a soprano castrato, according to his own statement, "at almost all European courts" (" poco men che tutte le corti d'Europa "). His life cannot be fully traced, but some data are known. In 1682 he went to London and worked there as a singer and singing teacher. In the period from 1705 to 1711 Tosi was a composer at the imperial court in Vienna and at the same time diplomatic agent of the Palatinate Elector Johann Wilhelm .
In 1723 Tosi had his Opinioni printed and traveled to Bologna for this purpose. After another stay in London in 1727, he was ordained a priest in Bologna in 1730.
plant
Tosi is mainly known for his singing school Opinioni de 'cantori antichi, e moderni o sieno osservazioni sopra il canto figurato (Bologna 1723). This was widely used in Europe, as evidenced by the English translation by John Ernest Galliard (London 1742 or 1743) and the German translation by Johann Friedrich Agricola (Berlin 1757). Both translators added annotations commenting on developments in song since 1723. 1701 his oratorio " Il martirio di Santa Caterina " was performed in Vienna .
literature
- Opinioni de 'cantori antichi, e moderni o sieno osservazioni sopra il canto figurato . Bologna 1723
- Korte Aanmerkingen over de Zangkonst, getrokken uit een Italiaansch Boek, betyteld Osservazioni sopra il canto figurato di Pier-Francesco Tosi (Dutch translation of the Opinioni by Jan Alensoon), Leyden, 1731
- Observations on the Florid Song (English translation of the Opinioni by John Ernest Galliard), London: J. Wilcox, 1742 or 1743. Facsimile: London: William Reeves, 1967.
- Instructions for the art of singing , translation byJohann Friedrich Agricola. Berlin: George Ludewig Winter, 1757. Facsimile reprint with introduction and commentary byKurt Wichmann. Leipzig: VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik, 1966.
Web links
- Literature by and about Pier Francesco Tosi in the catalog of the German National Library
- Original Italian text of the Opinioni de 'cantori antichi, e moderni
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Tosi, Pier Francesco |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian singer, composer and author |
DATE OF BIRTH | August 13, 1654 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Cesena |
DATE OF DEATH | after July 16, 1732 |
Place of death | Faenza |