Gasparini, Francesco (EN)

Gasparini, Gasperini, Guasparini, Francesco, *5 March 1668 Camaiore (near Lucca), †22 March 1727 Rome, Italian composer, music theorist and teacher. In 1685, he sought admission to the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna. In 1686, he lived in Venice at the home of G. Legrenzi, with whom he may have studied music. In 1689, he became a member of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome; there he continued his studies, probably under A. Corelli and B. Pasquini. In 1694, he staged his first opera in Rome, and in 1695 he published a collection of cantatas. The works he composed at that time brought him recognition, and in 1701 Gasparini was appointed maestro di coro at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. He remained in this post until 1713, contributing to the conservatory’s significant flourishing (partly thanks to the appointment of A. Vivaldi as a violin teacher in 1703). In Venice, Gasparini composed works for the Ospedale, and also occasionally provided several operas a year for the Teatro S Cassiano and other venues. In 1713, he was granted a six-month leave of absence from the Ospedale, but did not return to his post, instead settling in Rome. Around the turn of 1714/15, he was probably staying in Florence, where two of his operas were being performed. In 1717, he became maestro di cappella at S Lorenzo in Lucina in Rome. In 1719, a marriage contract was signed between Gasparini’s daughter, Rosalia (who was a member of the orchestra at S Lorenzo), and P. Metastasio; however, the marriage did not take place. In 1725, Gasparini was appointed maestro di cappella at S Giovanni in Laterano. Although the ailing musician was no longer able to perform this role, he retained the title until his death. Gasparini’s pupils included B. Marcello, J.J. Quantz and D. Scarlatti.

Although Gasparini was one of the most highly regarded Italian composers of the 18th century, his work has not yet been thoroughly researched or properly assessed. Operas occupied a central place in Gasparini’s oeuvre. Most of them were opera seria with historical themes, but Gasparini’s output also included several comic operas (e.g. Anfitrione and L’avaro) and over a dozen intermezzos performed alongside certain opera seria or as standalone works. Gasparini’s operas predominantly follow a recitative-aria structure, mainly da capo arias accompanied by an orchestra, and less frequently by basso continuo. In his later operas, he introduced arias with a homophonic texture and a melody and rhythm characteristic of the style of the next generation. He employed harmonic experiments in his graceful cantatas. Gasparini’s sacred works are written in both strictly contrapuntal and concertato styles. Whilst Gasparini’s compositions were quickly forgotten, his treatise on the practice of basso continuo, L’armonico pratico al cembalo, was reprinted six times and was still in use as a textbook in Italy as late as the mid-19th century. Gasparini was one of the first Italian composers whose operas were staged in England (1711–1712).

Literature: G. Marotti Quasi un incognito. Il camaiorese Francesco Gasparini, “Cenobio” XV, 1966; G. Rose A Fresh Clue from Gasparini on Embellished Figured-bass Accompaniment, “The Musical Times” CVII, 1966; A. Bonaccorsi Francesco Gasparini, in: Maestri di Lucca, Florencja 1967; A. Cavalli Le cantate opera prima di Francesco Gasparini, “Chigiana” XXV, 1968; M. Ruhnke Francesco Gasparinis Kanonmesse und der Palestrinastil, in: Musicae scientiae collectanea, commemorative book of K.G. Fellerer, Cologne 1973; Francesco Gasparini (1661–1727), in: Atti del primo convegno internazionale. Camaiore (…) 1978, reprint F. Della Seta and F. Piperno, 1981.