Efemérides - 145

Neste dia, em 1784, morria o compositor e pedagogo
Padre Martini (Giovanni Battista Martini)
(1706-1784)

Se a sua importância como teórico e pedagogo é, hoje em dia, inquestionável, ainda subsiste alguma sombra histórica sobre Padre Martini como compositor. Foi autor de numerosas obras que demonstram um interesse alargado relativamente aos géneros musicais.
No entanto, ainda persiste a reputação de ter sido um irredutível defensor da polifonia e um conservador zeloso, incapaz de produzir música interessante.
Ao ouvirmos obras como as suas 10 Sinfonias de Câmara, essa imagem desintegrar-se-à certamente, ficando, sim, a imagem de um compositor interessado em apreender e assimilar as novas linguagens expressivas do seu tempo.

Como professor, contou entre os alunos nomes notáveis como W.A. Mozart e Johann Christian Bach. Um dos exemplos da admiração que W.A. Mozart tinha pelo seu professor é uma das cartas que lhe dirigiu. A que vos deixo aqui (em inglês) foi escrita no dia 4 de Setembro de 1776 em Salzburgo:

The veneration, the esteem, and the respect I feel for your illustrious person, induce me to intrude on you with this letter, and also to send you a small portion of my music, which I venture to submit to your masterly judgment. Last year, at Monaco, in Bavaria, I wrote an opera buffa ("La finta Giardiniera") for the Carnival. A few days previous to my departure from thence, his Electoral Highness wished to hear some of my contrapuntal music; I was therefore obliged to write this motett in haste, to allow time for the score to be copied for his Highness, and to arrange the parts so that it might be produced on the following Sunday at grand mass at the offertory. Most dear and highly esteemed Maestro, I do entreat you to give me unreservedly your candid opinion of the motett. We live in this world in order always to learn industriously, and to enlighten each other by means of discussion, and to strive vigorously to promote the progress of science and the fine arts. Oh, how many and many a time have I desired to be nearer you, that I might converse and discuss with your Reverence! I live in a country where music has very little success, though, exclusive of those who have forsaken us, we have still admirable professors, and more particularly composers of great solidity, knowledge, and taste. We are rather badly off at the theatre from the want of actors. We have no MUSICI, nor shall we find it very easy to get any, because they insist upon being well paid, and generosity is not a failing of ours. I amuse myself in the mean time by writing church and chamber music, and we have two excellent contrapuntists here, Haydn and Adlgasser. My father is maestro at the Metropolitan church, which gives me an opportunity to write for the church as much as I please. Moreover, my father has been thirty-six years in the service of this court, and knowing that our present Archbishop neither can nor will endure the sight of elderly people, he does not take it to heart, but devotes himself to literature, which was always his favorite pursuit Our church music is rather different from that of Italy, and the more so, as a mass including the Kyne, Gloria, Credo, the Sonata all Epistola, the Offertory or Motett, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, and even a solemn mass, when the Prince himself officiates, must never last more than three-quarters of an hour. A particular course of study is required for this class of composition. And what must such a mass be, scored with all the instruments, war-drums, cymbals, &c, &c! Oh! why are we so far apart, dearest Signor Maestro? for how many things I have to say to you! I devoutly revere all the Signori Filarmonici. I venture to recommend myself to your good opinion, I shall never cease regretting being so distant from the person in the world whom I most love, venerate, and esteem. I beg to subscribe myself, reverend Father, always your most humble and devoted servant,

"WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART"

Para se adequar mais a este Blogue, não vos deixo exemplos musicais de nenhuma das Sinfonias, mas sim uma das suas 12 Sonatas d’intavolatura per l’organo e ’l cembalo (compostas por volta de 1736): a Sonata No.3. Estas Sonatas, salvo uma excepção ou outra, são formadas por partes ao estilo das Suites: Prelúdio (excepção feita à última Sonata que se inicia com uma Allemande); Fuga (genericamente intitulada de "Allegro"); um andamento lento (frequentemente um "Adagio"); dois andamentos rápidos (geralmente "Allegro" ou danças: Corrente, Giga, Gavotta, Minuetto, etc).

G. B. Martini - Sonata d'intavolatura per l'organo e 'l cembalo No.3
1. I-Preludio | 1. II-Allegro | 3. III-Adagio | 4. IV-Gavotta | 5. V-Corrente
Susanna Piolanti, cravo

gostava também de vos deixar a partitura de uma das obras para teclado mais simples e conhecidas deste compositor: a Gavotte "Les Moutons"

Read this document on Scribd: Martini, G B - Les Moutons (pf)