Giovanni Maria Ruggieri
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Maria Ruggieri or Ruggeri
was a Baroque
composer
from Italy
. His dates of birth and death are uncertain, but he may have been born about 1665 in Verona
and died around 1725. He is known to have flourished from 1689–1720.
. His first work, La Clotilde, is extant, and on its title page he described himself as an amateur; the librettist for the same work described him as being distinguished among amateurs and the peer of the most celebrated scholars of music. Other than these fragments, very little is known about his personal life. Archives in the Museo Correr
in Venice indicate that he owned several properties and he may have been in the service of the noble Contarini family, to whom he wrote a letter in 1695. His early musical career comprises four collections of trio sonatas, both da camera and da chiesa, published at some time between 1689 and 1697, but these have since been lost. His surviving sonatas display considerable invention and ability with counterpoint
. In 1696 Ruggieri began working full time as a composer and presumably encountered considerable success, because his operas were often revived: Armida abbandonata was produced at least five times between 1707 and 1715. His Elisa (1711) was regarded by critics as a success, and it was the first ever opera buffa
to be produced in the Republic of Venice.
As a composer of sacred music, he is an important influence on Vivaldi, who would later borrow extensively from Ruggieri's Gloria
in D for his own two Glorias
. Vivaldi is also said to have revised a work by Ruggieri (L'inganno trionfante in amore); this may well be, but there is no documentary proof of it.
Drammi per musica in three acts, first performed in Venice, unless otherwise stated:
La Clotilde (libretto by Neri), given at San Cassiano during carnival, 1696; revived as Amar per vendetta at San Moisè in November 1702;
La Mariamme (libretto by Burlini), first performed at Santi Giovanni e Paolo in autumn 1696, only a few arias remain;
La saggia pazzia di Giunio Bruto (libretto by Lotti), première at Santi Giovanni e Paolo on 26 November 1698;
Milziade (libretto by Lotti), Santi Giovanni e Paolo, carnival 1699, only a few arias remain;
Armida abbandonata (libretto by Silvani, after Tasso
), given at Sant'Angelo, 10 November 1707;
Arrenione (libretto by Silvani), given at Sant'Angelo at some time during the week before 10 November 1708. May involve work by other composers;
Arato in Sparta (libretto by Minato), Sant'Angelo, week before 11 January 1710;
L’ingannator ingannato (libretto by Marchi), San Samuele, autumn 1710;
Le gare di politica e d’amore (libretto by Salvi), San Samuele, week before 31 January 1711;
Elisa (a comedy, lyrics by Lalli), given at Sant'Angelo in autumn 1711;
Arsinoe vendicata (libretto by Braccioli), Sant'Angelo, carnival 1712;
Sacred vocal
Twelve cantatas, 1706;
Laudate Dominum, motet, 8 verses, date illegible;
Jesu dulcis memoria, Rome, 1689;
Instrumental
(All published in Venice)
Bizzarie armoniche esposte in dieci suonate da camera a due for violin, lute/theorbo, viola/harpsichord, (1689);
Scherzi geniali ridotti a regola armonica in dieci suonate da camera a tre, 1690 (lost);
Suonate da chiesa for two violins, viola/theorbo, organ, 1693;
Suonate da chiesa for two violins, violoncello, and organ, 1697;
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...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
from Italy
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...
. His dates of birth and death are uncertain, but he may have been born about 1665 in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
and died around 1725. He is known to have flourished from 1689–1720.
Life
His major works were apparently composed in VeniceVenice
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...
. His first work, La Clotilde, is extant, and on its title page he described himself as an amateur; the librettist for the same work described him as being distinguished among amateurs and the peer of the most celebrated scholars of music. Other than these fragments, very little is known about his personal life. Archives in the Museo Correr
Museo Correr
The Museo Correr is the civic museum of Venice, located in the Piazza San Marco, and is entered by the ceremonial stairway in the Ala Napoleonica at the western end of the Piazza opposite the church of San Marco at the other end...
in Venice indicate that he owned several properties and he may have been in the service of the noble Contarini family, to whom he wrote a letter in 1695. His early musical career comprises four collections of trio sonatas, both da camera and da chiesa, published at some time between 1689 and 1697, but these have since been lost. His surviving sonatas display considerable invention and ability with counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
. In 1696 Ruggieri began working full time as a composer and presumably encountered considerable success, because his operas were often revived: Armida abbandonata was produced at least five times between 1707 and 1715. His Elisa (1711) was regarded by critics as a success, and it was the first ever opera buffa
Opera buffa
Opera buffa is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ‘commedia in musica’, ‘commedia per musica’, ‘dramma bernesco’, ‘dramma comico’, ‘divertimento giocoso' etc...
to be produced in the Republic of Venice.
As a composer of sacred music, he is an important influence on Vivaldi, who would later borrow extensively from Ruggieri's Gloria
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
in D for his own two Glorias
Gloria (Vivaldi)
Antonio Vivaldi wrote several settings of the Gloria. RV 589 is the most familiar and popular piece of sacred music by Vivaldi; however, he was known to have written at least three Gloria settings. Only two survive whilst the other is presumably lost and is only mentioned in the Kreuzherren...
. Vivaldi is also said to have revised a work by Ruggieri (L'inganno trionfante in amore); this may well be, but there is no documentary proof of it.
Work
OperasDrammi per musica in three acts, first performed in Venice, unless otherwise stated:
La Clotilde (libretto by Neri), given at San Cassiano during carnival, 1696; revived as Amar per vendetta at San Moisè in November 1702;
La Mariamme (libretto by Burlini), first performed at Santi Giovanni e Paolo in autumn 1696, only a few arias remain;
La saggia pazzia di Giunio Bruto (libretto by Lotti), première at Santi Giovanni e Paolo on 26 November 1698;
Milziade (libretto by Lotti), Santi Giovanni e Paolo, carnival 1699, only a few arias remain;
Armida abbandonata (libretto by Silvani, after Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
), given at Sant'Angelo, 10 November 1707;
Arrenione (libretto by Silvani), given at Sant'Angelo at some time during the week before 10 November 1708. May involve work by other composers;
Arato in Sparta (libretto by Minato), Sant'Angelo, week before 11 January 1710;
L’ingannator ingannato (libretto by Marchi), San Samuele, autumn 1710;
Le gare di politica e d’amore (libretto by Salvi), San Samuele, week before 31 January 1711;
Elisa (a comedy, lyrics by Lalli), given at Sant'Angelo in autumn 1711;
Arsinoe vendicata (libretto by Braccioli), Sant'Angelo, carnival 1712;
Sacred vocal
Twelve cantatas, 1706;
Laudate Dominum, motet, 8 verses, date illegible;
Jesu dulcis memoria, Rome, 1689;
Instrumental
(All published in Venice)
Bizzarie armoniche esposte in dieci suonate da camera a due for violin, lute/theorbo, viola/harpsichord, (1689);
Scherzi geniali ridotti a regola armonica in dieci suonate da camera a tre, 1690 (lost);
Suonate da chiesa for two violins, viola/theorbo, organ, 1693;
Suonate da chiesa for two violins, violoncello, and organ, 1697;