Also known as:
German: Ritter von Gluck, Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck
GLUCK, CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD. - Melodramatic composer, b. at Weidenwang near Erbach, in Bavaria, on 2 July 1714, d. at Vienna on 15 Nov. 1787. As a young man he was a member of the Schola cantorum of the Jesuit College of Komotau, where he studied singing, piano and organ.
Having moved to Prague, he continued his studies, earning his living by singing in churches and playing the violin, in which he had perfected himself under Fr. Czernohorsky. In 1736 he went to Vienna, where he had occasion to win appreciation for the versatility of his musical genius. The Prince of Melzi sent him to Milan to the school of Sanmartini. In 1741 he composed Artuserse, an opera in a purely Italian style that enjoyed immense success. In the following years he travelled a great deal, winning wide fame. In 1756 the Pope made him a Knight of the Golden Spur, of which G. was very proud. With the help of the Italian poet Calzabigi he conceived and carried out the reform of melodramatic theatre. In Paris he had as strong opponents Lulli and Meul. Alceste and Ifigenia in Aulide remain, among his many other works, his masterpieces.
Of strictly sacred music, besides some youthful compositions, there remain a De profundis, a Miserere, a Mass and some motets which add nothing to the well-deserved fame of the distinguished opera composer.
Bibliography5 worksFor an idea of the vast Gluck literature the following are useful: I. D'Udine, G., Paris 1913; S. Wortmann, Die deutsche G.-Literatur, Nurem
BIBL.: For an idea of the vast Gluck literature the following are useful: I. D'Udine, G., Paris 1913; S. Wortmann, Die deutsche G.-Literatur, Nuremberg 1914; N. Ared, Zur Kunst G., Ratisbon 1914; I. Pizzetti, Il teatro musicale in G., Florence 1914. Of the greatest importance for the knowledge of G. are the studies of the G.-Jahrbuch, Leipzig 1913-18; A. Einstein, G., London 1936, Italian version, Milan 1946.
Mattei, Silverio. “Gluck, christoph willibald.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VI, coll. 874–875. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1951. https://azioneromana.com/article/gluck-christoph-willibald.
MLA
Mattei, Silverio. “Gluck, christoph willibald.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VI, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1951, coll. 874–875. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/gluck-christoph-willibald.
BibTeX
@incollection{ec6_gluck_christoph_willibald,
author = {Mattei, Silverio},
title = {Gluck, christoph willibald},
booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
volume = {VI},
pages = {874--875},
note = {Cited by column},
publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
address = {Città del Vaticano},
year = {1951},
url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/gluck-christoph-willibald}
}
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