A Final Look at Eighteenth Century Composers, Vol. XIX

By Daniel Zimmermann

Included are two composers from the Ragusan Republic: Count Luka Sorkočević and Ivan Mane Jarnović. Also treated are the following English composers: Capel Bond, Giacobbe Basevi, John Garth, and the Camidge family. From Germany we learn about the following: Johann Friedrich Alberti, Giovanni Henrico Albicastro, Georg Friedrich Kauffmann, Johann Melchior Molter, Cornelius Heinrich Dretzel , Adam Falckenhagen, Johann Christian Hertel, Sebastian Bodinus, Johann Peter Kellner, Johann Christoph Kellner, Hermann Friedrich Raupach, Johann Christian Fischer, Johann Gottfried Eckard, Anton Schweitzer, Ernst Dietrich Adolph Eichner, Anton Ferdinand Titz, Theodor von Schacht, Joseph Schuster, Johann Franz Xaver Sterkel, Daniel Gottlob Türk, Justin Heinrich Knecht, Franz Anton Hoffmeister, Federigo Fiorillo, Carl Siegemund Schönebeck, Johannes Simon Mayr, Johann Andreas Amon, Friedrich Jeremias Witt, and Johann Gottfried Arnold. Austria furnished the following composers: Benedikt Anton Aufschnaiter, Karl Ignaz Augustin Kohaut, Amandus Ivanschiz, Franz Joseph Aumann, Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti, Christoph Sonnleithner, Edmund Angerer, Wenzel Müller, and Johann Georg Lickl. Hungarian composers include Jan Francisci, Franz Grill, and János Spech. The island of Malta produced Girolamo Abos and Francesco Azopardi. Two composers were French: Charles Desmazures and Laurent Desmazures. Finally, Julije Bajamonti came from Split.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daniel Zimmermann
• Release date: Oct 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005034405

Daniel Zimmermann

Daniel Zimmermann was born in Merrill, Wisconsin, and grew up in Hustisford, Wisconsin. He was graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin. His valedictory concerned the ancient philosopher Plotinus. Special honors were third place in an Eta Sigma Phi Greek composition contest and the Doctor Ott award.He was also graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. After serving as pastor for several years, he became a free lance writer. Because of the outstanding success of his Spanish poetry in Mexico, his biography was included in Who's Who in the Midwest. He is also a former member of American Mensa.He is married to Merian, nee Ecot. The couple is residing in the Philippines.Daniel Zimmermann is the author of short stories and poetry. He also writes non-fiction, especially on literature, history, Christianity, and botany.

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A Final Look at Eighteenth Century Composers, Vol. XIX

By Daniel Zimmermann

Copyright by Daniel Zimmermann

Chapter 1

Composers from the Ragusan Republic

Count Luka Sorkočević (1734-1789)

Internet sources say that Luka was born in Dubrovnik. This is not a mistake, since this Croatian name was used at an early date. However, the official name of his birthplace was Respublica Ragusina, i.e., the Ragusan Republic.

Let us take a brief look at this political entity. It occupied a rugged strip of land along the coast of the Adriatic plus a few nearby islands. The area now lies in southern Croatia.

The area was originally part of the Byzantine Empire. Later it was controlled by Venice. However, from the middle of the fourteenth century till 1808, it was a virtually independent republic. It usually had a suzerain, the first of which was Louis of Hungary. Then in 1458 the republic began to pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire, a situation that actually helped Ragusa. Under Ottoman protection, Ragusa was able to engage in prosperous maritime trade.

Some interesting things happened in the seventeenth century. For example, an Ottoman vizier attempted to annex the Republic of Ragusa, but failed. Moreover, the Ragusan commander Frano Divo Gundulić helped John III Sobieski defeat the Turks when they attempted to capture Vienna in 1683.

In the aftermath of this battle, Ragusa’s political situation seems complicated to me. In accordance with their old fourteenth century agreement, they accepted the suzerainty of the King of Hungary without giving up their connection to the Ottoman Empire. (Note that the King of Hungary was also the Holy Roman Emperor at that time.)

In the early nineteenth century, the armies of Napoleon occupied Ragusa and its independence came to an end.

Luka was an aristocrat. The Sorkočevićs were one of the leading families in Dubrovnik. As a result, Luka enjoyed certain privileges. For example, he became a member of the Major Council when he was eighteen years old, and he briefly served as ambassador to Vienna.

So music was an avocation for Luka, but he excelled at it. After studying with Giuseppe Valenti, the maestro di cappella of the Dubrovnik Cathedral, and with Rinaldo di Capua at Rome, he wrote some excellent music, including eight symphonies and a trio for flute, violin, and cello.

Ivan Mane Jarnović (1747-1804)

Though Ivan may never actually lived in the Republic of Ragusa, his contemporaries considered him a Ragusan. So even though his family may have left Ragusa and headed for Palermo after Ivan was conceived but before he was born, I feel justified in placing him here with the other Ragusan composer.

I’ll pass over the other uncertainties of his early life and jump to the year 1773. He is in Paris and causing quite a commotion. He plays the violin in three concerts of the Concert Spirituel, and the people are thrilled. He also delights Paris with further public and private concerts.

While residing in the French capital, he taught some students, including the Polish violinist Felix Janiewicz.

In 1779 he began to serve the crown prince of Prussia. In 1783 he moved to St. Petersburg and