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Francesco Caffi (14 June 1778 in
Francesco Caffi (14 June 1778 in Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
– 24 January 1874 in Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
) was a councillor and musicologist.
Life
Caffi was born the son of Michele and Bianca Boncio on 14 June 1778. Caffi initially studied law (the profession of his family) privately with don Benedetto de Luca. Afterward, Caffi decided to dedicate himself to music, studying counterpoint under Matteo Rauzzini,Simon Mayr
Johann(es) Simon Mayr (also spelled Majer, Mayer, Maier), also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr (14 June 1763 – 2 December 1845), was a German composer. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the ...
, and Giuseppe Scatena, who was an Augustinian friar and pupil of Antonio Lotti
Antonio Lotti (5 January 1667 – 5 January 1740) was an Italian composer of the Baroque era.
Biography
Lotti was born in Venice, although his father Matteo was ''Kapellmeister'' at Hanover at the time. Oral tradition says that in 1682, Lotti be ...
. He studied harpsichord under Francesco Gardi. While still young, he began composing cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning of ...
s, melodrammi, and a few instrumental pieces. Though the young Venetian never made it his profession to compose, it allowed him to expand his musicological studies and integrate himself in the music culture of his hometown.
In 1811, Caffi and other music enthusiasts formed the Philharmonic Institute of Venice. The public school of music included concert halls, headquartering in the Saint Rocco and Margherita monastery. The institution closed in 1816 because of economic issues, however. Still, the enterprise proved to be viable.
While a magistrate, Caffi continued to study music history, beginning to draft his ''Storia generale della musica presso i Veneziani'' (''General History of the Music of the Venetians''). The history was initially meant to be divided into five sections. The first three sections would discuss the three musical genres: ecclesiastical, theatrical, and academic. The fourth and fifth sections discussed popular and Venetian music, respectively. His work on the history ceased in 1827, however, when he was transferred to the Milan Court of Appeals. Here, he was able to research and prepare biographies of some musicians from the Venetian school: Andrea Gabrieli
Andrea Gabrieli (1532/1533Bryant, Grove online – August 30, 1585) was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. The uncle of the somewhat more famous Giovanni Gabrieli, he was the first internationally renowned member of the Ven ...
, Baldassare Galuppi
Baldassare Galuppi (18 October 17063 January 1785) was an Italian composer, born on the island of Burano in the Venetian Republic. He belonged to a generation of composers, including Johann Adolph Hasse, Giovanni Battista Sammartini, and C. ...
, Antonio Lotti, Benedetto Marcello
Benedetto Giacomo Marcello (; 31 July or 1 August 1686 – 24 July 1739) was an Italian composer, writer, advocate, magistrate, and teacher.
Life
Born in Venice, Benedetto Marcello was a member of a noble family and in his compositions he is f ...
, and Gioseffo Zarlino
Gioseffo Zarlino (31 January or 22 March 1517 – 4 February 1590) was an Italian music theorist and composer of the Renaissance. He made a large contribution to the theory of counterpoint as well as to musical tuning.
Life and career
Zarlino w ...
, among others. He first printed these in his ''Storia della musica sacra'' (''History of Sacred Music'').
References