Giovanni Battista Pescetti
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Pescetti (Venice, ca. 1704 Venice, 20 March 1766) was an organist and composer. Born in Venice
around 1704, he studied under Antonio Lotti
for some time. Having spent some time writing operas in and around Venice
, he left for London
in 1736, becoming director of the Opera of the Nobility
in 1737.
After having to leave London when hostility arose against Catholic Italians, he returned to Venice in 1745 and became Second Organist at St Mark's.
Pescetti was active as a teacher of composition in Venice, his most famous students Josef Mysliveček
(1737-1781) and Antonio Salieri
(1750-1825). Although his output consists mainly of operatic works, a considerable amount of Pescetti's compositions were written for harpsichord, some intended to be performed on Pipe Organ
, including his Six Sonatas, composed around 1756. Nowadays, his keyboard sonatas are generally performed on a modern piano, though various recordings exist that use the intended organ.
The second movement in characterized by a quarter note melody embellished by grace notes with a triplet left hand accompaniment.
The third movement (presto) begins with the three notes of the C minor
triad in a C-G-C-E flat pattern. This upwards moving passage then moves down from E flat to C then repeats the opening pattern with different notes, D-G-D-F and then descends from F to D and then returns to E flat. In order to complete this opening passage there is a downwards scale from E- flat to C and then leave the opening in a state of resolution, there is a final four note pattern, B natural-C-D and finally to G, the dominant. This is then repeated an octave lower. Throughout this, the left hand is playing short, staccato accompanying quarter notes whereas the right, which was discussed above, is playing eighth note
tuplet
. After the opening passage is complete, there is the a series of broken C major chords one octave above from where the opening passage ended. Each of these broken chords are repeated twice, modulating from C major to F minor to B flat major and finally, to E flat major. Once reaching E flat major, the relative major of C minor, there is a downwards scale continuing until reaching G, an octave lower. From this point, a new pattern emerges, consisting of the three notes: F, G, A flat and B flat. The notes are arranged in a G-A flat-B flat F-G-A flat pattern, which is repeated twice. After this pattern, a broken E flat major tonic chord is played, followed by another downwards scale once again beginning on C and continuing to a low F. Following the scale is a final closing pattern, one which is not heard in again in the piece. The closing bar ends with a broken E flat major chord beginning on G followed by the three notes C - A flat - G and closes in a E flat major cadence. (End of first part.)
Listen to the Allegro ma non presto, first movement from Sonata in C minor for harpsichord.
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...
around 1704, he studied under Antonio Lotti
Antonio Lotti
Antonio Lotti was an Italian composer of classical music.Lotti was born in Venice, although his father Matteo was Kapellmeister at Hanover at the time. In 1682, Lotti began studying with Lodovico Fuga and Giovanni Legrenzi, both of whom were employed at St Mark's Basilica, Venice's principal church...
for some time. Having spent some time writing operas in and around 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...
, he left for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1736, becoming director of the Opera of the Nobility
Opera of the Nobility
The Opera of the Nobility was an opera company set up and funded in 1733 by a group of nobles opposed to George II of England, in order to rival the Second Royal Academy of Music company under Handel .Nicola Porpora was invited to be its musical director and Owen Swiny considered as its talent scout...
in 1737.
After having to leave London when hostility arose against Catholic Italians, he returned to Venice in 1745 and became Second Organist at St Mark's.
St Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture...
Pescetti was active as a teacher of composition in Venice, his most famous students Josef Mysliveček
Josef Myslivecek
Josef Mysliveček was a Czech composer who contributed to the formation of late eighteenth-century classicism in music...
(1737-1781) and Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
(1750-1825). Although his output consists mainly of operatic works, a considerable amount of Pescetti's compositions were written for harpsichord, some intended to be performed on Pipe Organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, including his Six Sonatas, composed around 1756. Nowadays, his keyboard sonatas are generally performed on a modern piano, though various recordings exist that use the intended organ.
Sonata in C minor
The popular Sonata in C minor was transcribed for harp by Carlos Salzedo. The first movement is in two four and opens with eighth notes outlining the tonic triad--C, down a fourth to G, up a sixth to E Flat and back down a third to C. This is echoed in the left hand as the right hand plays quarter notes E flat, C, B natural. The right hand now plays the melody again and continues on, transposing to G major, going through a short development and then ending in G. The melody repeats, then goes to a second section starting in E flat major. This section follows the same structure--melody in right hand, melody in left hand, melody in right hand, transposes back to c minor, goes through the same development and then ends in c minor. The second section repeats again and the movement ends.The second movement in characterized by a quarter note melody embellished by grace notes with a triplet left hand accompaniment.
The third movement (presto) begins with the three notes of the C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
triad in a C-G-C-E flat pattern. This upwards moving passage then moves down from E flat to C then repeats the opening pattern with different notes, D-G-D-F and then descends from F to D and then returns to E flat. In order to complete this opening passage there is a downwards scale from E- flat to C and then leave the opening in a state of resolution, there is a final four note pattern, B natural-C-D and finally to G, the dominant. This is then repeated an octave lower. Throughout this, the left hand is playing short, staccato accompanying quarter notes whereas the right, which was discussed above, is playing eighth note
Eighth note
thumb|180px|right|Figure 1. An eighth note with stem facing up, an eighth note with stem facing down, and an eighth rest.thumb|right|180px|Figure 2. Four eighth notes beamed together....
tuplet
Tuplet
In music a tuplet is "any rhythm that involves dividing the beat into a different number of equal subdivisions from that usually permitted by the...
. After the opening passage is complete, there is the a series of broken C major chords one octave above from where the opening passage ended. Each of these broken chords are repeated twice, modulating from C major to F minor to B flat major and finally, to E flat major. Once reaching E flat major, the relative major of C minor, there is a downwards scale continuing until reaching G, an octave lower. From this point, a new pattern emerges, consisting of the three notes: F, G, A flat and B flat. The notes are arranged in a G-A flat-B flat F-G-A flat pattern, which is repeated twice. After this pattern, a broken E flat major tonic chord is played, followed by another downwards scale once again beginning on C and continuing to a low F. Following the scale is a final closing pattern, one which is not heard in again in the piece. The closing bar ends with a broken E flat major chord beginning on G followed by the three notes C - A flat - G and closes in a E flat major cadence. (End of first part.)
Media
Listen to an Allegretto in C major for harpsichord.Listen to the Allegro ma non presto, first movement from Sonata in C minor for harpsichord.