What “Padre” Martini Taught Mozart

“What Makes It Italian?” is a music listening and discussion group that meets online on the Zoom platform and is open to everyone.
Participation is free.
The group is led by Gina Crusco, who has also guided listening at Bard LLI and Riverdale Y; acted as maestro del coro for opera in Italy; instructed music at The New School; and directed Underworld Productions.
Please email ginacrusco@gmail.com to confirm your attendance and receive an invitation link.

The second encounter will focus on what “Padre” Martini taught Mozart

“I never cease to grieve that I am far away from that one person in the world whom I love, revere and esteem most of all,” wrote the 20-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) to Padre Giovanni Battista Martini (1706-1784). Indeed, many great 18th-century composers studied with Bolognese masters. Mozart’s preference for da capo arias in his solo church music probably derives from this Italian connection.

Great Italian composition teachers taught great composers. This semester we look into these mentorships, some natural, others surprising. Salieri taught Beethoven? Busoni taught Kurt Weill? Yes and yes, and composers throughout music history – Mozart, Haydn, Charpentier and Barber – were put through their paces by Italian teachers. In this series, as we examine these relationships, we also uncover Italianate style insinuating itself into the most unlikely places.