Brunetti, Gaetano

views updated

Brunetti, Gaetano

Brunetti, Gaetano, Italian violinist and composer; b. probably in Fano, 1744; d. Colmenar de Orejo, near Madrid, Dec. 16, 1798. He most likely was a student of Nardini in Livorno. About 1762 he went to Madrid, where he became a violinist in the Royal Chapel in 1767. From 1788 he was director of the Royal Chamber Orch. Brunetti was held in high esteem at the court, for which he composed some 450 works.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: El Faetón (not extant); El Jason (Madrid, Oct. 4, 1768; not extant). orch.: 28 syms.; 4 sinfonie concertante; 6 overtures; 18 minuets; 12 contradanses; 7 marches; variations. chamber: 12 sextets; 66 quintets; 44 string quartets; 70 minuets for String Quartet; 30 string trios; 64 sonatas for Violin and Bass; 23 divertimenti for Violin, Viola, and Cello; 6 divertimenti for Violin and Viola; 6 duos for 2 Violins; 4 duets for 2 Violins. vocal: Mass for 8 Voices and Orch.; Miserere for 4 Voices and Instruments; 3 Lamentations; 6 concert arias.

Bibliography

A. Belgray, G. B.: An Exploratory Bio-bibliographical Study (diss., Univ. of Mich., 1970).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire