Fortunato Chelleri
Encyclopedia
Fortunato Chelleri (May or June 1690, Parma
– 11 December 1757, Kassel
) was a Baroque
Kapellmeister
and composer.
). After the early death of his parents, he grew up with his uncle Francesco Maria Bazzani
in Piacenza
, who trained him as a musician. Chelleri started to compose operas for different opera companies in Northern Italy
in 1708. He served in noble families in Barcelona
, Florence
and Venice
, among others, including a post as maestro di capella of Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
.
In 1722 Fürstbischof Johann Philipp von Schönborn
engaged him as Hofkapellmeister in Würzburg
, together with Giovanni Benedetto Platti. After the death of the Fürstbischof in 1725, Chelleri was in Kassel
Hofkapellmeister of the Landgraf Karl von Hessen-Kassel
. Between 1732 and 1734, he followed Karl's son and successor Frederick of Sweden to the royal court of Stockholm
. He returned to Germany with the title and fund of Hofrat (Court Councillor) and directed the private orchestra of Friedrich's brother Wilhelm VIII, von Hessen-Kassel
until his death.
in 1715, on a libretto of Belisario Valeriano which was used by George Frideric Handel
for Atalanta
, and Amalasunta.
During his time in Germany and Sweden Chelleri composed instrumental and church music, including oratorios in Italian. Compositions for keyboard instruments, such as six Sonate di galanteria (Kassel), and six Sinfonie for strings were published. His oratorio in two parts Beatæ Mariæ Virginis (Würzburg, 1723) was reprinted by Garri Editions, Mühlheim, in 2003.
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
– 11 December 1757, Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
) was a Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
and composer.
Biography
Chelleri's father had emigrated from Germany to Italy, his mother was from the Italian family of musicians Bazzani (or Bassani, s. also Giovanni Battista BassaniGiovanni Battista Bassani
Giovanni Battista Bassani was an Italian composer, violinist, and organist.Battista was born in Padua. It is thought that he studied in Venice under Daniele Castrovillari and in Ferrara under Giovanni Legrenzi. Charles Burney and John Hawkins claimed he taught Arcangelo Corelli, but there is no...
). After the early death of his parents, he grew up with his uncle Francesco Maria Bazzani
Francesco Maria Bazzani
Francesco Maria Bazzani or Bassani was an Italian baroque composer.Francesco was a member of the musical Bassani family of whom Giovanni Battista Bassani is the best remembered today. He is to be distinguished from another Francesco Maria Bassani two generations earlier Francesco Maria Bazzani or...
in Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
, who trained him as a musician. Chelleri started to compose operas for different opera companies in Northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
in 1708. He served in noble families in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and 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...
, among others, including a post as maestro di capella of Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici was the last scion of the House of Medici. A patron of the arts, she bequeathed the Medici's large art collection, including the contents of the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti and the Medicean villas, which she inherited upon her brother Gian Gastone's death in 1737, and her...
.
In 1722 Fürstbischof Johann Philipp von Schönborn
Johann Philipp von Schönborn
Johann Philipp von Schönborn was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1647 until 1673, the Bishop of Würzburg from 1642 until 1673, and the Bishop of Worms from 1663 until 1673....
engaged him as Hofkapellmeister in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, together with Giovanni Benedetto Platti. After the death of the Fürstbischof in 1725, Chelleri was in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
Hofkapellmeister of the Landgraf Karl von Hessen-Kassel
Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
Karl I was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1670 till his death.Born at Kassel, he was the son of Wilhelm VI of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg, daughter of Georg Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg. After the early death of his father, his mother ruled as regent until 1675...
. Between 1732 and 1734, he followed Karl's son and successor Frederick of Sweden to the royal court of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. He returned to Germany with the title and fund of Hofrat (Court Councillor) and directed the private orchestra of Friedrich's brother Wilhelm VIII, von Hessen-Kassel
William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel
William VIII ruled Hesse-Kassel 1730 until his death, first as regent and then as landgrave ....
until his death.
Works
During his activity in Italy he composed mostly operas, such as L'Innocenza giustificata, premiered in Venice in 1711, La caccia in Etolia, premiered in FerraraFerrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
in 1715, on a libretto of Belisario Valeriano which was used by George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
for Atalanta
Atalanta (opera)
Atalanta is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel composed in 1736. It is based upon the mythological female athlete, Atalanta, the libretto being derived from the book La Caccia in Etolia by Belisario Valeriani...
, and Amalasunta.
During his time in Germany and Sweden Chelleri composed instrumental and church music, including oratorios in Italian. Compositions for keyboard instruments, such as six Sonate di galanteria (Kassel), and six Sinfonie for strings were published. His oratorio in two parts Beatæ Mariæ Virginis (Würzburg, 1723) was reprinted by Garri Editions, Mühlheim, in 2003.
Selected Recordings
- Don Quixote (L’attage du moulin, La Doulcinée, La galop de Rosinante, Sanco Panche, Le couche de Don Quixote), organist Kalevi KiviniemiKalevi KiviniemiKalevi Kiviniemi is a Finnish concert organist. He is known internationally for Finnish and French organ music and has given several recitals at Notre Dame de Paris and recorded on historic organs...
on the Las Piñas Bamboo OrganLas Piñas Bamboo OrganThe Las Piñas Bamboo Organ in St. Joseph Parish Church, the parish church of Las Piñas City in the Philippines, is a nineteenth-century pipe organ made almost entirely from bamboo. The organ is declared a National Cultural Treasure of the country....
in 2003.
- Six Simphonies Nouvelles Orchestra Atalanta Fugiens, dir. Vanni Moretto. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 2009
Literature
- Arrey von Dommer: Chellery, Fortunato. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 4. Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1876, p. 114 (in German).
- A.Della Cortenel e G.M.Gatti: Dizionario di musica, ed. Paravia & C., Torino, 1956, p. 130 (in Italian)