Page 42 - Booklet

(“Zink and Trombone Players at the Capitolio,” according to Rostirolla 2001, p. 375). In 1739 Domenico Zipoli (1688 Prato - 1726 Córdoba/Argentina), who studied music in Rome with
he joined the Caecilian Confraternity in Rome and then took part in a competition for the Alessandro Scarlatti (1708) and Bernardo Pasquini (1709), decided later to pursue a career
position of maestro di cappella at the honourable Basilica Santa Casa di Loreto. Having in the church. Beginning in 1710, he served as organist at Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome
won, he took up this post in 1740 and held it until the end of his life. Andrea Basili left and in ca. 1715 at the splendid Jesuit Church of the Gesù (Santissimo Nome di Gesù, Rione
an extensive oeuvre of sacred music compositions, including works for the harpsichord Pigna). Then, with the intention of becoming a missionary, he travelled in 1716 via Spain
and organ. As an authority in contrapuntal matters, he also corresponded regularly with to Argentina. In 1718 he entered the Jesuit order, and studied theology and philosophy.
Giovanni Battista Martini. He achieved fame for his pedagogical compendium: Musica Because of the lack of a Bishop, he was not ordained as a priest. Zipoli continued to develop
universale armonico-pratica dettata dall’istinto e dalla natura illuminata dai vari precetti his active musical life in Argentina, as a composer, organist and teacher. The collected
armonici. Opera utile per i studiosi di contrappunto e per i suonatori di grave cembalo, ed works that Zipoli published as his Op. 1 in Rome in 1716, entitled Sonate d’Intavolatura
organo, esposta in ventoquattri Esercizi, Venice 1776. This collection contains 24 Esercizi Per Organo, E Cimbalo [!]. Parte prima. Toccata, Versi, Canzone, Offertorio, Elevazioni, Post
(etudes). The piece Esercizio, with four movements in g minor, consists of a Scala (a scale Com[m]unio e Pastorale. Dedicate All’Ill[ustrissi]ma […] Sig[no]ra Maria Teresa Strozzi
passage that runs up and down beyond an octave, and lasts for eight measures) as well Principessa di Forano, established his outstanding reputation as a composer of music for
as a partimento (38 measures long). The performing organist is again required to make keyboard instruments. Although Domenico Zipoli had died long before Wörle’s period
use of his entire compositional and technical playing skills here, as well as demonstrating of activity in Rome, these organ pieces are still suitable for a demonstration of Wörle’s
his aesthetic feelings. The partimento movements are followed by a Fuge and a brilliant positive organ. They stand as classical examples for the whole organ literature and, above
Capriccio, both of which were written out by the composer. all, they were continually in use especially in Rome long after the death of their creator.
This is demonstrated by the fact that the Pastorale from the 1716 publication is also found
Pier Leone Ghezzi drew a portrait of the master pedagogue Andrea Basili – just as he had in the manuscript collection that was written out several decades later: I-Rn Mss Musicali
of Franzaroli. In March 1739, Ghezzo made a pencil drawing of the 34-year-old musician, 76. The scribe even copied the registration mark “con flauto” for the Allegro middle section
inscribed: “Don Andrea Basili maestro di cappella e de’ragazzi”. With a stern look, the that uses duple meter and (dotted) Siciliano rhythms. The beginning and the ending of
teacher instructs singing to a boy and two girls (illustration in Rostirolla 2001, no. 200). Zipoli’s Pastorale are set typically in 12/8 meter. Triadic melodies and a continuous pedal
At about the same time, Ghezzi must have made the bust portrait of Basili (in profile, point (except in the Allegro) imitate the sounds of the Pifferari, that is, the shepherds
illustration in Rostirolla 2001, no. 199). The picture caption reads: “Il signor don Andrea, in the Roman countryside – playing the shawm, bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy. The Versets
bravissimo sonator di cembalo, e compositiore” (“The gentleman Andrea [Basili], excellent (Versi) from Zipoli’s Op. 1 were modern, miniature masterpieces of their time, and with
harpsichordist and composer”). The attribute “don” indicates that Basili, on the way to their galant melodies and subtle counterpoint, they allow the impressive sonorities of the
being ordained as a priest, had received the minor orders. However, he later changed his Wörle organ to resound in a beautyful way.
mind, and eventually devoted himself exclusively to music, and he got married. Translation: Rita Steblin
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