Pietro Domenico Paradies
{{short description|Italian composer (1707–1791)}}
Pietro Domenico Paradies (also Pietro Domenico Paradisi) (1707{{spaced ndash}}25 August 1791) was an Italian composer, harpsichordist and music teacher, most prominently known for a composition popularly entitled "Toccata in A", which is, in other sources, the second movement of his Sonata No. 6.
A reviewer of a modern edition of his sonatas, all first edited by the composer, noted in passing "Paradies (never Paradisi, it seems)" suggesting that Paradisi might be a modern adaptation.{{cite journal|last=Cudworth|first=Charles|journal=The Musical Times|publisher=Orpheus|location=London|issn=0027-4666|volume=113|issue=1547|pages=77–78|title=Favourite Sonatas: Sonate di Gravicembalo. Band I, Sonatas 1-6; Band II, Sonatas 7-12. By Paradies, edited by Hugo Ruf; Hans Bemmann|date=January 1972|doi=10.2307/957662|jstor=957662}}
Life and work
Paradies was born in Naples. Probably a student of Nicola Porpora, he dedicated himself at first to composing for the theater. He spent a few years around 1740 in Venice, where he taught and wrote music at the Ospedali Grandi. There, he composed two semi-dramatic, occasional serenatas, including a serenata in honor of Frederick Christian, the Prince of Saxony and Heir to Poland.Pietro Domenico Paradies, [https://www.areditions.com/paradies-le-muse-in-gara-b225.html Le Muse in gara], critical edition of the music, edited by Vanessa Tonelli (Middleton, WI: A.R. Editions, 2021). In 1746 he moved to London, where he became known as a teacher of harpsichord and singing; among his students was Gertrud Elisabeth Mara, probably around 1750{{cite web|title=Biography of Gertrud Elisabeth Mara|url=http://odb-opera.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=152|publisher=ODB Opéra|last=Irielov|first=Ikvat|accessdate=2007-11-20|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004414/http://www.odb-opera.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=152|archivedate=2007-09-28}} and possibly Thomas Linley the elder.
{{cite ODNB |first=Suzanne |last=Aspden |title=Linley, Thomas (1733–1795) |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/16737 |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16737 |accessdate=28 December 2014 |url-access=subscription }}
In 1770 he returned to Italy. He died in Venice.
Instrumental and vocal music
His reputation is due to his music for the harpsichord, esteemed by music historians.
His musical style was influenced by Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti. Especially celebrated above all were his twelve sonatas for clavicembalo (London, 1754). The Toccata in A that is still played often today is an Allegro movement from his sonata VI in A major, which has established for itself a considerable discography, although there has been a revival of more of his music recently, at least regarding the keyboard sonatas. He was also the author of concertos for organ and for harpsichord, individual pieces for harpsichord, arias and cantatas.
Dramatic music
(Year produced, place, name)
- 1738 Lucca - Alessandro in Persia
- 1740 Venice - Il Decreto del Fato (The Decrees of Fate){{Cite book|last=Tribuzio|first=Giovanni|chapter='Or giunte siamo dove il principe nostro potremo vagheggiar': Tre serenate di D’Alessandro/Vivaldi, Carcani e Paradies/Galuppi per Federico Cristiano di Sassonia (Venezia, Ospedali Grandi, 1740) |title=Music Patronage in Italy |editor-last1=Ciliberti|editor-first1=Galliano|year=2021|pages=191–239|chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/85065562|publisher=Brepols |location=Turnhout|isbn=9782503595443|language=it}}
- 1740 Venice - Le Muse in gara{{Cite book|last=Tribuzio|first=Giovanni|chapter='Or giunte siamo dove il principe nostro potremo vagheggiar': Tre serenate di D’Alessandro/Vivaldi, Carcani e Paradies/Galuppi per Federico Cristiano di Sassonia (Venezia, Ospedali Grandi, 1740) |title=Music Patronage in Italy |editor-last1=Ciliberti|editor-first1=Galliano|year=2021|pages=191–239|chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/85065562|publisher=Brepols |location=Turnhout|isbn=9782503595443|language=it}}
- 1747 London - Fetonte
- 1751 London - La forza d'amore
- Antioco
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite journal|journal=The Musical Times|volume=145|issue=1886|pages=68–74|date=Spring 2004|last=Sanders|first=Donald C.|title=Sunday music: the sonatas of Domenico Paradies|location=London|publisher=Orpheus|url=https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F4149095|doi=10.2307/4149095|jstor=4149095 }}
- [http://www.move.com.au/artist.cfm/881 Short bio at Move record label site]
- {{IMSLP|id=Paradies, Pietro Domenico|cname=Pietro Domenico Paradies}}
- The famous Toccata in A, played in different temperaments: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXBvtyjGemo meantone], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SancoPeh-R4, Kirnberger III], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Jw9lMpbqA just intonation] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIUHtuHaMp0 31 equal temperament].
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Category:18th-century Italian composers
Category:18th-century Italian male musicians
Category:Italian Baroque composers
Category:Italian Classical-period composers
Category:Italian harpsichordists
Category:Italian opera composers