Elisabetta de Gambariniaus barock + classic

Elisabetta de Gambarini (* 7 September 1730 in Marylebone, Middlesex; † 9 February 1765 in Westminster, London), was an English composer, mezzo-soprano, organist, harpsichordist, pianist, conductor and painter.

Life

Elisabetta de Gambarini was the third of four children of Charles Gambarini († 1754), an Italian nobleman from Lucca who was advisor to the Landgrave of Kassel. Her mother Joanna (Giovanna Paula) Stradiotti († 1774) came from Dalmatia. Her siblings died in infancy.

Little is known about her musical training, possibly she was a pupil of Francesco Geminiani. In the 18th century, women increasingly participated in musical life in Britain. Gambarini began her career as a singer in George Frideric Handel’s Occasional Oratorio (1746-1747).

She sang the Israelite in the premiere of Judas Maccabaeusa in 1747 and appeared in Joseph and his Brethren in 1747. Her name is also listed on the score of Handel’s Samson and Messiah, the dates of the performances are unknown.

In 1748 she gave her own benefit concert and sang and played her own compositions on the organ. She also published her first two volumes of music. She was the first British composer to publish a collection of works for keyboard instruments. In 1748, The Six Sets of Lessons for the Harpsichord (“Six Etude Collections for Harpsichord”) was published as her Opus 1, which she dedicated to Viscountess Howe of Ireland.

On 20 March 1764 Elisabetta married Etienne Chazal, about whom nothing else is known, at the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. She gave a concert under her new name of Chazal in March and died a year later at her home in Castle Court, Strand. She was buried at St James’s Church, Westminster, on 14 February.

According to her mother’s estate, she had a daughter named Giovanna Georgiana Chazal, about whom nothing is also known. It is possible, but not certain, that Gambarini died during or after childbirth.

Her music was noticed by many, including famous musicians such as George Frideric Handel and Francesco Geminiani. Also in 1748, she published Lessons for the Harpsichord Intermix’d with Italian and English Songs (“Etudes for Harpsichord Combined with Italian and English Songs”), dedicated to the Prince of Wales. This was followed in 1750 by the publication of XII English & Italian Songs, for a German flute and Thorough Bass… Opera III (“Twelve English and Italian Songs for transverse flute and basso continuo”), composed mainly for woodwind instruments and dedicated to the Duke of Marlborough.

Throughout her career, Gamberini performed at the Haymarket Theatre and the Great Concert Hall on Dean Street in London’s Soho district. She later gave various benefit concerts in which she performed as a singer, harpsichordist, organist and with her own compositions. During one of her benefit concerts she performed Francesco Geminiani’s The Inchanted Forest, which is why she is thought by some to be one of his pupils.

Gambarini’s music is classified as late baroque and classical.

Source Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabetta_de_Gambarini