Francesco Zappa

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This article is about the 18th century Italian musician. For the album by Frank Zappa, see Francesco Zappa (album).

Francesco Zappa (born in Milan, creative period 1763–1788) was an Italian cellist and composer. He is known for his virtuosic cello playing. Frank Zappa came across his music in the library at UC Berkeley and released an album featuring the chamber music of Francesco Zappa. It is, however, unknown if the two are related.

1 Life
2 Musical Output
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Life

Little is known about Zappa's life: what information is available comes largely from his own publications and manuscripts. Zappa was first employed by the Sicilian Count Catani, to whom he dedicated his first work, 6 Trio sonatas. He worked for the Duke of York, giving him music lessons during the Duke's stay in Italy, from November 1763 to the middle of 1764. When the Duke died in 1767, Zappa held the rank of maestro di musica (Kapellmeister), as the title page of his Trio sonatas Opus 2 records.

In 1771 he played a series of concerts in Germany, visiting Danzig and, on 22 September, Frankfurt am Main. According to Mendel (1879), he undertook another tour of Germany in 1781, and with "his gentle and beautiful sound" inspired wonder in all who listened.

By the end of the 1780s Zappa was employed as master of music in The Hague (Mâitre de musique à la Haye), and this is noted in the 1788 manuscript of his Quartetto concertante.

[edit] Musical Output

Zappa composed symphonies, trios, sonatas, divertimenti and songs, but nothing more of his output has been transmitted.

[edit] References

Karl-Heinz Köhler: Francesco Zappa in: Friedrich Blume (ed.): Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (Kassel, Basel et. al. 1968), Band 14
H. Mendel & A. Reissmann, (eds.): Musikalisches Conversations-Lexikon (Berlin, 1870-79), Band 11, 1879)
David Ocker, The Musical Times of Francesco Zappa, liner notes from the album “Francesco Zappa”, Barking Pumpkin Records, 1984
Guido Salvetti & Valerie Walden in: Stanley Sadie, (ed.): The New Grove Dictionary Of Music & Musicians (London, New York, Massachusetts 2001), 2nd. ed., ISBN:1-56159-239-0
E. van der Straeten: The History of the Violoncello (London, 1915/R1971), quoted by Köhler (1968)