Bernardo Pasquini

Bernardo Pasquini ( born December 8, 1637 in Val di Massa Nievole, (Tuscany), † November 22, 1710 in Rome ) was an Italian organist, harpsichordist, conductor and composer of the Baroque.

Life

Bernardo Pasquini received his first lessons by Mariotto Bocciantini. From 1650 he lived with an uncle who was a priest, in Ferrara and received from local musicians further lessons. From the beginning of 1654 to November 1655 he was organist at the " Accademia della morte " in Ferrara. Then he settled in Rome, where he became a student Marc'Antonio Cesti and Loreto Vittori. From 1667, he was the service of Prince Giovan Battista Borghese, Principe di Sulmona and from 1691 in the service of his son. He later became organist at various Roman churches, including Santa Maria Maggiore ( 1665-1667 ). In 1664 he traveled in the wake of Cardinal Flavio Chigi to France. Pasquini was a composer for numerous representatives of the Roman nobility, including Queen Christina of Sweden, in whose honor his opera Dov'è amore è pieta was listed in 1679. He was a sought harpsichordist and teacher and was often hired by major noble houses.

During Alessandro Scarlatti 's second stay in Rome ( 1703-1708 ) he worked and Arcangelo Corelli often of performances together with the latter, particularly in the context of the Accademia degli Arcadi in which all three were a member. He also worked for the Oratory of the Most Holy Crucifix.

Among his pupils, Giovanni Maria Casini, Giuseppe Fabbrini, Francesco Gasparini, Johann Philipp Krieger and Georg Muffat.

Pasquini published several important works for keyboard instruments, including Toccatas, suites and partitas. He was the first who composed in Italy suites, and made this genus known in his homeland. In addition to numerous vocal works of various kinds he produced 14 operas, which were very successful in his time.