What Porpora Taught Haydn

“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 third encounter will focus on what Porpora taught Haydn

When the internationally famous Nicola Porpora (1686-1768) hired the struggling young Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) as his accompanist, the mentorship resulted in Haydn learning “the true fundamentals of composition”. Haydn later remembered the experience thus: “There was no lack of Asino, Coglione, Birbante and pokes in the ribs, but I put up with it all, for I profited greatly from Porpora in singing, in composition, and in the Italian language.”

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.