1779 in music
Encyclopedia
Events
- April – The London Magazine reports on the organ-playing of three-year-old prodigy William CrotchWilliam CrotchWilliam Crotch was an English composer, organist and artist.Born in Norwich to a master carpenter he showed early musical talent . The three and a half year old Master William Crotch was taken to London by his ambitious mother, where he not only played on the organ of the Chapel Royal in St....
. - December 26 – Teatro alla Scala in Milan opens its operatic carnival season with Josef MyslivečekJosef MyslivecekJosef Mysliveček was a Czech composer who contributed to the formation of late eighteenth-century classicism in music...
's new opera ArmidaArmida (Mysliveček)Armida is an opera in three acts by Josef Mysliveček set to a libretto by Gianambrogio Migliavacca based on an earlier libretto by Philippe Quinault. It is one of many operas set at the time of the Crusades that is based on characters and incidents from Torquato Tasso's epic poem La Gerusalemme...
. - The opera house at EszterházaEszterházaEsterháza is a palace in Fertőd, Hungary, built by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. Sometimes called the "Hungarian Versailles", it is Hungary's grandest Rococo edifice.-History:...
burns down. - Mezzo-soprano Luigia PolzelliLuigia PolzelliLuigia Polzelli was an Italian mezzo-soprano, who sang at the Esterházy court in Hungary during the late 18th century. She was for a number of years the lover of the composer Joseph Haydn.-Early years:...
and her violinist husband Antonio arrive at the Esterházy court, where she quickly becomes the lover of Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
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Opera
- Johann Christian BachJohann Christian BachJohann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
– Amadis de Gaule - Domenico CimarosaDomenico CimarosaDomenico Cimarosa was an Italian opera composer of the Neapolitan school...
– L'infedeltà fedele - Christoph Willibald GluckChristoph Willibald GluckChristoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck was an opera composer of the early classical period. After many years at the Habsburg court at Vienna, Gluck brought about the practical reform of opera's dramaturgical practices that many intellectuals had been campaigning for over the years...
– Iphigénie en Tauride - Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
– ZaideZaideZaide is an unfinished opera, K. 344, written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1780. Emperor Joseph II, in 1778, was in the process of setting up an opera company for the purpose of performing German opera. One condition required of the composer to join this company was that he should write a...
Classical music
- Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
– Symphony No. 70Symphony No. 70 (Haydn)The Symphony No. 70 in D major, Hoboken 1/70, was written by Joseph Haydn to mark the start of construction of a new opera house on the Eszterháza estate... - Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
– Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and OrchestraSinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and OrchestraThe Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364 , was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.At the time of its composition in 1779, Mozart was on a tour of Europe that included Mannheim and Paris...
Publications
- Francesco Antonio VallottiFrancesco Antonio VallottiFrancesco Antonio Vallotti was an Italian composer, music theorist, and organist.- Life :He was born in Vercelli. He studied with G. A. Bissone at the church of St. Eusebius, and joined the Franciscan order in 1716. He was ordained as a priest in 1720. In 1722 he became an organist at St...
– Della scienza teorica e pratica della moderna musica (On the scientific theory and practice of modern music)
Births
- January 8 – John WhiteJohn White-Musicians:* John White , English musician* John White , American country music singer, writer on the genre of western music* John Simon White , American vocal coach and opera director-Politicians:...
, composer - January 15 – Jean CoralliJean CoralliJean Coralli , born Jean Coralli Peracini, was a French dancer and choreographer and later held the esteemed post of First Balletmaster of the Paris Opera Ballet...
, ballet producer and choreographer - February 5 – Frans van Campenhout, singer and composer (d. 1848)
- February 22 – Joachim Nicolas EggertJoachim Nicolas EggertJoachim Nicolas Eggert was a Swedish composer and musical director.Eggert was born in Gingst on Rügen, at that time part of Swedish Pommern. At a very young age he started studying to play the violin. In Stralsund he continued his musical education in the subjects violin und composition...
, composer (d. 1813) - February 23 – Johann Caspar AiblingerJohann Caspar AiblingerJohann Caspar Aiblinger was a German composer.Aiblinger was born in Wasserburg am Inn, Bavaria. In his eleventh year he commenced his studies at Tegernsee Abbey, where he was instructed in piano and organ-playing...
, composer (d. 1867) - March 1 – Jacob Gottfried Weber, composer (d. 1839)
- March 13 – Oliver ShawOliver ShawOliver Shaw , was one of the first American composers.Shaw was born at Newport, Rhode Island. A childhood accident and later yellow fever caused him to go totally blind. He studied with organist John Berkenhead and later with Gottlieb Graupner...
, composer (d. 1848) - April 21 – William KnyvettWilliam KnyvettWilliam Knyvett , was a British singer and composer of the 19th century.-Biography:Knyvett, third son of Charles Knyvett , musician, was born on 21 April 1779, most probably in London, and educated by his father, by Samuel Webbe, the glee composer, and by Signor Cimador.In 1788 he sang in the...
, composer - May 28 – Thomas MooreThomas MooreThomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and The Last Rose of Summer. He was responsible, with John Murray, for burning Lord Byron's memoirs after his death...
, poet and lyricist - August 1 – Francis Scott KeyFrancis Scott KeyFrancis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
, songwriter - September 10 – Louis Alexandre PiccinniLouis Alexandre PiccinniLouis Alexandre Piccinni was a prolific music composer born in Paris of Italian ancestry....
- October 15 – Johan O. Wallin, songwriting bishop
Deaths
- February 2 – Georg Philipp Kress, composer
- February 7 – William Boyce, composer
- April 6 – Tommaso TraettaTommaso TraettaTommaso Michele Francesco Saverio Traetta was an Italian composer.-Biography:Traetta was born in Bitonto, a town near Bari, near the top of the heel of the boot of Italy. He eventually became a pupil of the composer, singer and teacher Nicola Porpora in Naples, and scored a first success with his...
, composer - April 7 – Martha RayMartha RayMartha Ray was a British singer of the Georgian era. Her father was a corsetmaker and her mother was a servant in a noble household. Good-looking, intelligent, and a talented singer, she came to the attention of many of her father's patrons. She is best known for her affair with John Montagu, 4th...
, singer - December 5 – Hermann Anton GelinekHermann Anton GelinekHermann Anton Gelinek was a German monk and musician.Gelinek was born in Horzeniowes, Bohemia, and became a priest at the Premonstratensian Abbey in Seelau in 1728, then traveled to Vienna to study law. Returning to his monastery, he was professor and director of church music, and played the organ...
, organist and violinist (born 1709) - December 28 – Gennaro MannaGennaro MannaGennaro Manna was an Italian composer based in Naples. His compositional output includes 13 operas and more than 150 sacred works, including several oratorios.-References:...
, composer - date unknown – Josse BoutmyJosse BoutmyJosse Boutmy was a composer, organist and harpsichordist of the Austrian Netherlands who established himself in Brussels. Born into a musical family, his grandfather, father, brother and sons were all musicians, also called the Boutmy Dynasty.-Background:He worked with the Prince of Thurn and...
, organist and harpsichordist (born 1697)