MARTINI, GIAMBATTISTA. - Of the Conventual Friars Minor, musician and musicologist, b. in Bologna on 24 April 1706, d. there on 3 August 1784.
Appointed in 1725 director of the musical chapel of St. Francis in Bologna, in 1729 he was ordained a priest. He composed much sacred music: Litanie ed antifone mariali a 4 voci con organo ed altri strumenti ad libitum, printed in 1734, 15 complete masses and other separate compositions but relating to the Mass, music for Holy Week, for the Office of the Dead and several motets. In these religious compositions M. showed himself a rather conservative spirit. He adhered to the models of classical polyphony, shunning the style then in vogue: exaggerated in pictorial colorings, in the use of instruments and in sentimental effusions. He also wrote oratorios: the Assunzione di Salomone al trono d'Israello, Il sacrificio di Abramo and 2 on the subject of St. Peter. He likewise composed 12 sonate per organo e cembalo (printed in 1724), Dietti da camera (1763), arias and secular cantatas on texts also by Metastasio, symphonies, concertos and a concertino with harpsichord and cello obbligato and accompaniment of violins.
A distinguished historian and bibliophile, he was a member of the Bolognese Academy of the Philharmonicians and of the Arcadia of Rome under the name Aristosseno Anfioneo. An expert connoisseur of musical doctrine and of the secrets of composition, he could string together by the dozens, one after another, canons on various texts. His correspondence is interesting for the bulk and the importance of the subjects treated. He collected with passion and patience a notable body of musical manuscripts, incunabula and valuable prints, which passed, at his death, partly to Vienna to the Court Library and partly (the more considerable part) to the Library of the Bolognese Musical Lyceum, which is still named after him. A most valuable work are the 3 vols. of the Storia della musica (Bologna 1757-81) with important illustrations and examples. Furthermore: L'esemplare, ossia saggio fondamentale pratico di contrappunto sopra il canto fermo (1774); Saggio fondamentale di contrappunto fugato (1775) with a copious musical anthology of the 16th and 17th centuries; Compendio della teoria dei numeri per uso del musico o Regole per gli organisti per accompagnare il canto fermo (1756). He also left highly erudite historical memoirs, some printed (Naples 1785).
Bibliography7 works
Lavinio Virgili