Giovanni Stefano Carbonelli (c. 9 March 1690/1691, Leghorn - 1772,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

), after 1734 Anglicised to ''John Stephen Carbonell'', was an Italian-born British composer and violinist, who later abandoned his musical career to become a vintner under royal patronage.

Life

Giovanni Stefano Carbonelli was born in the Italian port city of Leghorn to Pietro Carboneu (alternatively Carboneo or Carbonell) and Teresa Cocchi. His year of birth is uncertain, with dates varying from 1690/1691 to 1699/1700. His father was a Frenchman who had immigrated from Aix-en-Provence, while his mother was a local Leghorner. Not much is known of his early musical education; he was reputedly a pupil of

Arcangelo Corelli Arcangelo Corelli (, also , , ; 17 February 1653 – 8 January 1713) was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque era. His music was key in the development of the modern genres of sonata and concerto, in establishing the preeminence of th ...

, although there is little documentary evidence to support this. In 1711 and 1712, he was one of the violinists in the local ensemble during the celebrations of the Feast of Santa Croce in

Lucca Lucca ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its province has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one ...

(13-14 September); on these occasions his name was recorded as "Gio: Stefano Carbonèo". In 1716-1717 he lived in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

, where he became acquainted with Antonio Vivaldi. Carbonelli participated in Vivaldi's operatic productions, playing in the accompanying orchestra; Vivaldi in return dedicated one of his violin concertos (RV 366) to Carbonelli. In 1719, Carbonelli was invited to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

by his patron John Manners, the Marquess of Granby (later the 3rd Duke of Rutland), who was a director of the then newly-formed Royal Academy of Music. This marked a turning point in the composer's life - henceforth he was to spend the rest of his days in England. For several years, Carbonelli was conductor of the

Drury Lane Theatre The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Drur ...

orchestra. He was additionally the principal violinist of Handel's operatic orchestra at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. Carbonelli was in great demand as a freelance violinist, and played actively until at least 1762. On 27 February 1734 (Old Style), he became a naturalised British subject, registering his name as "John Stephen Carbonell, Son of Peter Carbonell, by Teresia, his wife, born at Leghorn". He had earlier converted to Anglicanism and married in 1730. From the 1740s onwards, Carbonelli increasingly turned his attention from music to the more profitable trade in continental wines. He eventually became a full-time vintner, and was granted a royal warrant as an official purveyor of wines to the King in 1759. His descendants continued to manage the wine business highly successfully for several generations. Carbonelli died in

in 1772.

Music

Carbonelli is remembered for a single set of 12 '' sonatas da camera'' for

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

and basso continuo – his only surviving work. First published privately in 1729, they were dedicated to his main benefactor, the 3rd Duke of Rutland. Virtuosic in scope, these sonatas reveal a solid mastery of harmony and counterpoint, and include double-stopped and fugal passages. Their relative neglect until quite recently may be attributable to the somewhat grudging approval of them by the music historian Charles Burney, as well as the lack of any other surviving works by the composer.Giovanni Stefano Carbonelli.
Edition HH. Retrieved 18 July 2021

Works

* 12 '' Sonate da Camera a Violino o Violone e Cembalo'' ( John Walsh, London)

References

External links

* * Alessandra Ascarelli
Eintrag im Dizionario-Biografico degli Italiani (1976)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carbonell, Giovanni Stefano Italian Baroque composers British Baroque composers Italian violinists British violinists 1690s births Year of birth uncertain 1772 deaths Composers for violin Italian classical violinists Italian expatriates in England Wine merchants