Andrea Luchesi

Andrea Luca Luchese (* May 23, 1741 in Motta di Livenza, † March 21, 1801 in Bonn ) was an Italian organist and composer. From 1774 to 1794 he was Kapellmeister at Bonn, at times Kapellmeister of the young Ludwig van Beethoven.

Life and work

His first music lessons received Luchese by his older brother, an organist. In the age of 15 he moved to Venice, where he (eg Sara Telli, Bertoni, Galuppi ) studied together with outstanding musicians. Moreover, had Luchese didactic and artistic relations with two important music theorists, Padre Francesco Antonio Vallotti and Count Giordano Riccati.

Luchese quickly became a famous organist and composer for organ and harpsichord. He created instrumental music, church music and stage works. In the spring of 1765 his comic opera " L' isola della fortuna " was ( The isle of happiness ) listed on the Vienna Court Theatre. During a trip to Italy in 1771 he met Leopold and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. End of 1771 Luchese traveled at the invitation of the Cologne Elector Maximilian Friederich to Bonn and worked in the electoral court orchestra. After the death of the previous Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven the elder, the grandfather of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, Luchese was appointed Kapellmeister in 1774. Under him, the Bonn opera had its heyday.

Luchese gained in his new home for citizenship and in 1775 he married ( Josepha ) Anthonetta d' Anthoin. With the exception of a visit to Venice 1783/84 he lived until his death (1801 ) in Bonn. His role as Kapellmeister ended already in 1794 because the Bonn court orchestra was disbanded as a result of the French occupation of the Rhineland.

Anton Reicha, Bernhard and Andreas Romberg and Franz Anton Ries were significant student Luchesis.