Giovanni Benedetto Platti
Compositions for: String ensemble
Harpsichord Concerto in A major, IP 57Harpsichord Concerto in C major, IP 48Harpsichord Concerto in C minor, IP 49Harpsichord Concerto in D major, IP 50Harpsichord Concerto in E-flat major, IP 51Harpsichord Concerto in F major, IP 52Harpsichord Concerto in F major, IP 53Harpsichord Concerto in G major, IP 54Harpsichord Concerto in G major, IP 55MiserereOboe Concerto in G minorViolin Concerto in A major, IP 18
WikipediaGiovanni Benedetto Platti (born possibly 9 July 1697 (according to other sources 1690, 1692, 1700) in Padua, belonging to Venice at the time; died 11 January 1763 in Würzburg) was an Italian Baroque composer and oboist.
Platti studied music in Italy (mostly singing, the oboe and the violin). While he was still in Italy (until 1722), he probably saw the recently invented fortepiano and a few of his keyboard solo sonatas and concertos might have been composed for it instead of the harpsichord but this point is debatable. In the chamber works (duets and trios) the harpsichord is clearly the instrument required. No "piano" or "forte" indications are on Platti's keyboard parts in his concertos for harpsichord and strings, though. Also, the extension of at least one of these concertos asks for a D that is beyond Cristofori's instrument's compass (4 octaves CC to c4).
In 1722, he was called to Würzburg to work for the prince-bishop of Bamberg and Würzburg, Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn. There he married Theresia Langprückner, a soprano singer with whom he had at least two children. Platti spent the rest of his life in Würzburg, working as a singer, instrument virtuoso, composer and conductor. His duties included finding musicians for the court , as one can read in one of his autograph letters that are available.
SACRED WORKS:
Other sacred works mentioned in different sources are now lost.
PROFANE VOCAL WORKS (Composizioni Vocali Profane):
- Cantata in C Major: "Corre dal bosco al prato la misera cervetta" for Soprano, Clavicembalo obbligato, Violins I/II, Violas, Violoncello and basso continuo.
- Cantata in A Major: "Già libero, già sciolto" for Soprano, Violins I/II, Viola, Violoncello and basso continuo.
- Cantata in B flat Major: "Sdegni e disprezzi" for Soprano, Violiins I/II, Viola, Violoncello and basso continuo.
- 1 Serenata, only the text is available, the music is lost.
- 2 Arias for Soprano and Harpsichord - only the music is available, the text is lost.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC:
(This list of compositions is from the book by ALBERTO IESUÈ: Le Opere di Giovanni Benedetto Platti - catalogo tematico. Edizioni de "I SOLISTI VENETI". Padova, 1999.), In this book the author lists the works which have been published and those that exist only in manuscript form.
RECORDINGS:
There are many recordings of the music listed above, both in LPs and CDs and also on YOUTUBE.
Alberto Iesuè, Le Opere di Giovanni Benedetto Platti – Thematic Cathalog, Edizioni de I Solisti Veneti, Padova, 1999 (sources : www.edizionisolistiveneti.it)
