Vitali, Giovanni Battista (EN)

Vitali, Giovanni Battista, *18 February 1632 Bologna, †12 October 1692 Modena, Italian composer and cellist. He spent many years in Bologna, where he studied under M. Cazzati; on 6 September 1658, he was accepted into the orchestra of the Basilica of San Petronio as a cellist, a position he held until 1673. He was a member of the Accademia dei Filaschisi, and from 1666 a founding member of the Accademia Filarmonica, for which he regularly provided vocal religious works and sonatas for patron saint celebrations in 1670–75, 1686, and 1688–89. In October 1671, he became a musician in the Concerto Palatino string orchestra and in 1673, he became the bandmaster of the SS. Rosario orchestra at the Church of St. Dominic. In 1674, he moved to Modena, where he became a deputy conductor of the instrumental ensemble at the court of Francesco II d’Este, to whom he dedicated the cantata Coronata d’applausi di Francesco il natale in 1660. In 1681, he joined the Accademia dei Dissonanti, for which he wrote cantatas; he also contributed to the establishment of a music printing house in Modena. In 1684–86, he served as a maestro di cappella at the local court, after which he again became deputy conductor, a position he held until the end of his life.

Giovanni Battista Vitali was one of the most outstanding composers of the second half of the 17^th century. His first five collections enjoyed great success and were reprinted numerous times. The composer’s oeuvre can be divided into two periods: Bologna (until 1674) and Modena (after 1674). Instrumental music plays a prominent role, the vast majority of which are dance compositions published in eight collections (Op. 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 14). The dances from Op. 1 are further arranged by genre (12 ballets and 12 chimes); in Op. 3, they are gathered into two groups: homorhythmic, with a periodic structure and utilitarian character, in the per ballare group, and contrapuntal, with a more stylised character, in the per camera group. Beginning with Op. 4, the composer combined dances into suites, each consisting of 2–7 movements with varying progressions. In Op. 11, 12, and 14, reflecting the preferences of the court in Modena, he introduced French dances: minuet, gavotte, brando, and bourrée. The sonatas from Op. 2, 5, and 9, belonging to the da chiesa type, are mostly arranged in four movements, with attention drawn to the sophisticated counterpoint of the fugue movements, the rich harmony of the slow movements, and the dance-like rhythms of the final movements. Both the dances and the da chiesa sonatas frequently employ variation techniques, contributing to the unification of the cycle (the thematic affinity of the individual movements) or used to construct virtuoso cello or violin pieces based on the basses of the passamezza, ciaccona, and passacaglia (Op. 7). The collection Artificii musicali (1689), often compared to Bach’s Musicalisches Opfer, is a showcase of the composer’s compositional skill. In his more complex works, he introduced enigmatic canons, double counterpoints, enharmony, polyrhythm, and bold modulations, while also utilising equal temperament. Vocal music remained marginal to Giovanni Battista Vitali’s creative interests, although he cultivated various genres (oratorio, cantata, motet, religious concerto) and skilfully utilised stylistic conventions. The narrative treatment of choruses in his oratorio Il Giona is considered a precursor to Handel’s oratorios.

Literature: A. Damerini La sonata di Giovanni Battista Vitali, in: Musicisti lombardi ed emiliani, ed. A. Damerini and G. Roncaglia, «Accademia Musicale Chigiana» XV, 1958; J.G. Suess Giovanni Battista Vitali e isuoi „Artificii musicali” op. XIII, (1689), “Nuova Rivista Musicale Italiana” XXVII, 1993; C. Vitali, G.B. Vitali editore di musica fra realizzazione artistica e insuccesso imprenditoriale, “Nuova Rivista Musicale Italiana” XXVII (1993); M.L. Thompson, For Dancing or Diversion: G.B. Vitali’s Chamber Sonatas, commemorative book of J. Steele, ed. W. Drake, New York 1997; T. Drescher, G.B. Vitali: »Sonatore di violone da brazzo«. Beobachtungen zum Problemkreis »violone« und »violoncello«, in: Geschichte, Bauweise und Spieltechnik der tiefen Streichinstrumente, ed. M. Lustig, Blankenburg am Harz 2004; A. Sanguineti, Giovanni Battista Vitali’s violone in the accademia, “Journal of the Society for Musicology in Ireland”, 12, (2016–2017).