Florian Leopold Gassmann
Encyclopedia
Florian Leopold Gassmann (3 May 1729 – 21 January 1774) was a German-speaking
Bohemian
opera
composer
of the transitional period between the baroque
and classical eras. He was one of the principal composers of dramma giocoso
immediately before Mozart.
, Bohemia
, and appears to have been trained by Johann Woborschil, the local chorus master. His father was a goldsmith who appears to have opposed his son's choice of a musical career.
From 1757 until 1762, he wrote an opera every year for the carnival
season in Venice
, and was also made choirmaster in the girls’ conservatory in Venice in 1757. Many of the librettos he set were by the great Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni
.
In 1763 he was called to be court ballet
composer in Vienna
, where he was held in great affection by Emperor Joseph II. In 1764, Gassmann became chamber composer to the Emperor, and in 1772 court conductor.
In 1766, Gassmann met the young Antonio Salieri
in Venice, who he invited to return to Vienna with him, and who, based on Johann Joseph Fux’s textbook Gradus ad Passarnum, he taught composition. Salieri remained in Vienna, and succeeded Gassman as chamber composer to the Emperor upon the latter's death in 1774. Another Italian
composer, Giuseppe Bono, succeeded him as court conductor.
In 1771, Gassman founded the Tonkünstlersozietät (Society of Musical Artists), which organised the first musical events for the general public in Vienna. This social institution was particularly concerned with widows and orphans of its deceased members. He composed his oratorio
La Betulia liberata because of the founding of this society.
In 1774 Gassman died in Vienna
of the long-term consequences of a carriage accident he had suffered while on his final visit to Italy.
Gassmann's two daughters, Anna Fux and Therese Rosenbaum, were both famous singers trained by Salieri; the younger, Therese, made a particular name for herself as a Mozart interpreter.
Charles Burney
, in one of his published tours, mentions traveling to Joseph II, meeting Gassmann and finding him very obliging; Gassmann showed Burney his manuscripts, of which Burney found the chamber works distinctive and most worthy of his praise (but Burney was either not exposed to, or said nothing about, Gassmann's orchestral music.)
Johann Baptist Vanhal
is described by author Daniel Heartz as Gassmann's "protégé".
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
composer
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
of the transitional period between the baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
and classical eras. He was one of the principal composers of dramma giocoso
Dramma giocoso
Dramma giocoso is the name of a genre of opera common in the mid-18th century. The term is a contraction of "dramma giocoso per musica" and is essentially a description of the text rather than the opera as a whole...
immediately before Mozart.
Biography
Gassmann was born in BruxBrux
Brux is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.-External links:*...
, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, and appears to have been trained by Johann Woborschil, the local chorus master. His father was a goldsmith who appears to have opposed his son's choice of a musical career.
From 1757 until 1762, he wrote an opera every year for the carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
season in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, and was also made choirmaster in the girls’ conservatory in Venice in 1757. Many of the librettos he set were by the great Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni
Carlo Goldoni
Carlo Osvaldo Goldoni was an Italian playwright and librettist from the Republic of Venice. His works include some of Italy's most famous and best-loved plays. Audiences have admired the plays of Goldoni for their ingenious mix of wit and honesty...
.
In 1763 he was called to be court ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
composer in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he was held in great affection by Emperor Joseph II. In 1764, Gassmann became chamber composer to the Emperor, and in 1772 court conductor.
In 1766, Gassmann met the young Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
in Venice, who he invited to return to Vienna with him, and who, based on Johann Joseph Fux’s textbook Gradus ad Passarnum, he taught composition. Salieri remained in Vienna, and succeeded Gassman as chamber composer to the Emperor upon the latter's death in 1774. Another Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
composer, Giuseppe Bono, succeeded him as court conductor.
In 1771, Gassman founded the Tonkünstlersozietät (Society of Musical Artists), which organised the first musical events for the general public in Vienna. This social institution was particularly concerned with widows and orphans of its deceased members. He composed his oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
La Betulia liberata because of the founding of this society.
In 1774 Gassman died in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
of the long-term consequences of a carriage accident he had suffered while on his final visit to Italy.
Gassmann's two daughters, Anna Fux and Therese Rosenbaum, were both famous singers trained by Salieri; the younger, Therese, made a particular name for herself as a Mozart interpreter.
Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
, in one of his published tours, mentions traveling to Joseph II, meeting Gassmann and finding him very obliging; Gassmann showed Burney his manuscripts, of which Burney found the chamber works distinctive and most worthy of his praise (but Burney was either not exposed to, or said nothing about, Gassmann's orchestral music.)
Johann Baptist Vanhal
Johann Baptist Vanhal
Johann Baptist Vanhal also spelled Wanhal, Waṅhall or Wanhall was an important classical music composer born in Nechanice, Bohemia to a Czech family.- Biography :...
is described by author Daniel Heartz as Gassmann's "protégé".
Instrumental music
Includes:- 32 symphonies
- 26 overtures
- 37 string quartets include: Op. 1 six quartetti (H 431–6); Op. 2 (H 441–2, 435, 444–6); six published posthumously, 1804 (H 451–6)
- 8 string quintets, 6 of which were published as Op. 2 in 1772 (H 501–506)
- string trios
- 2 trios for flute, violin and viola
- 10 wind quintets