Brescianello

[Bressonelli],
Giuseppe Antonio
(b Bologna, c1690; d Stuttgart, 4 Oct 1758). Italian violinist and
composer. He first appears in documents when in 1715 the Elector of
Bavaria brought him from Venice to Munich as a violinist. In October
1716, after the death of his predecessor Pez, he became musique
directeur, matre des concerts de la chambre at the Wrttemberg
court in Stuttgart, and in 1717 chief Kapellmeister. Between 1717 and
1718 he wrote the pastoral opera La Tisbe, which he dedicated to his
employer Archduke Eberhard Ludwig. Hoping this opera would be
produced at the Stuttgart Opera, Brescianello wrote in his
Prparationen that he had suited its melodies to the theatre taste: but
that did not gain him a performance. From 1719 to 1721 he had to
face heated battles with his rival Reinhard Keiser, who sought
unsuccessfully for Brescianellos position. In 1731 Brescianello
became Rath und Oberkapellmeister. When the courts finances
collapsed in 1737, the Stuttgart opera troupe was dissolved and
Brescianello lost his post, which spurred him on to increased activity
as a composer. In 1738 (according to EitnerQ) he wrote 12 concerti e
sinphonie op.1 and other works, and somewhat later 18 Piecen frs
Gallichone.
When the regency of the generous artistic patron Duke Carl Eugen
began in 1744, Brescianello was reinstated as Oberkapellmeister on
account of his particular knowledge of music and excellent
competence, and until his retirement he brought the opera and court
music to renewed fame. He was pensioned off on 29 November 1751
according to Sittard, on St Jamess Day 1755 according to other
sources. His successor was Ignaz Holzbauer, then Jommelli.
In his two decades as Kapellmeister, Brescianello helped to put his
stamp on the musical life of Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg. His
importance lies in his compositions, which mainly follow the
conventions of his time (sequences and imitations, influences of the
galant style, generally in loosened suite form). Apart from Tisbe, two
cantatas and a mass (occasional and commissioned works),
Brescianello wrote mainly chamber music using the violin, with which
he was most acquainted through his training as a violinist: these
works are thus among his most successful.
WORKS
vocal
La Tisbe (op pastorale), 171718, D-Sl
Missa solenne, 4vv, insts, Bsb
2 cants.: Sequir fera che fugge; Core amante di perche: both S, orch, ROu
instrumental
12 concerti et sinphonie, vn solo, 2 vn, va, vc/hpd, op.1 (Amsterdam, 1738)
I concerti a 3, 2 vn, bc, I-Fc, 6 ed. in HM, lxvilxviii (195051)

6 trios, 2 vn/rec, bc; 3 trios, 2 fl, bc; 5 ovs., 2 vn, va, vc, bc; Chaconne, 2 vn, 2 va,
vc, bc; Chaconne, 2 vn/fl, b: all D-ROu
18 suites, colascione, Dlb; transcr. gui by R. Chiesa (Milan, 1981)
Sinfonia a 4, 2 vn, va, hpd, SWl
Conc., vn, bn, insts; 4 concs.; Sinfonia, 2 vn, va, b; 4 concs.; 2 vn, insts: all formerly
DS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
EitnerQ
J. Sittard: Zur Geschichte der Musik und des Theaters am
wrttembergischen Hofe, iii (Stuttgart, 189091/R)
R. Lck: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Colascione und seiner
sddeutschen Tondenkmler im 18. Jahrhundert (diss., U. of
Erlangen, 1953)
A. Damerini: Sei concerti a tre sconosciuti di G.A. Brescianello,
SMw, xxv (1962), 96104
J.H. Mitchell: The Works of Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello (diss., U.
of North Carolina, 1962)
RUDOLF LCK