Hasse, Johann Adolf
Hasse, Johann Adolf
Hasse, Johann Adolf, celebrated German composer; b. Bergedorf, near Hamburg (baptized), March 25, 1699; d. Venice, Dec. 16, 1783. He studied in Hamburg (1714–17), and then was engaged as a tenor at the Opera there (1718); he was a member of the Braunschweig Opera (1719–21), where he sang in the premiere of his opera Antioco (Aug. 11, 1721). He then went to Naples, where he studied with A. Scarlatti. The success of his serenata Antonio e Cleopatra (Naples, Sept. 1725), sung by the famous castrato Farinelli and Vittoria Tesi, brought him a commission from the Teatro San Barto-lomeo. There he produced his opera II Sesostrate (Naples, May 13, 1726), which launched his career as a major dramatic composer. His Artaserse (Venice, Feb. 1730) was a particular favorite of Farinelli, who was later called upon to sing the arias Per questo dolce amplesso and Pallido il sole while in the service of the ailing King Philip V of Spain (1737–46). Hasse married Faustina Hasse (née Bordoni) in 1730, the same year in which she sang in the premieres of his Dalisa and Arminio in Venice. He went to the Saxon court in Dresden in 1731 as Kapellmeister; his wife joined him there as prima donna. His first opera for Dresden was Cleofide (Sept. 13, 1731). As his fame increased, the court allowed him frequent leaves of absence to produce his operas in other major music centers, often with his wife singing leading roles. He scored a major success with Seroe, ré de Persia (Bologna, May 2, 1733). His admiration for the renowned librettist Metastasio led to their remarkable personal and professional relationship from 1743. During this period, Hasse was acknowledged as the preeminent composer of opera seria in Germany, Austria, and Italy. Although Porpora served the Dresden court as Kapellmeister from 1748 to 1751, Hasse succeeded in maintaining his own position and was elevated to the post of Ober kapellmeister in 1750. His wife made her farewell appearance in opera in the premiere of his Ciro riconosciuto (Jan. 20, 1751). His Solimano (Feb. 5, 1753), with its huge cast of singers, actors, and even animals, proved a major court event. His last opera written for Dresden was L’Olimpiade (Feb. 16, 1756); he remained in the court’s service until the advent of the new elector in 1763. In the meantime, he found an appreciative court in Vienna, where he produced the operas Alcide al bivio (Oct. 8, 1760), Zenobia (Carnival 1761), and II trionfo di delia (April 27, 1762). Following the success of these works, he settled in Vienna; after bringing out his opera Egeria there (April 24, 1764), he wrote Romolo ed Erisilia for the Innsbruck court (Aug. 6, 1765). His success in Vienna continued with the productions of his Partenope (Sept. 9, 1767) and Piramo e Tisbe (Nov. 1768). But his // Ruggiero ovvero L’eroica gratitudine (Milan, Oct. 16, 1771) failed to please the Italian public, and he decided to cease composing for the stage. In 1773 he retired to Venice. Hasse was a master of bel canto writing; his extraordinary craftsmanship is revealed in his command of harmony and orchestration; in addition to his dramatic works, he also distinguished himself as a composer of sacred music.
Works
dramatic: Opera: Antioco (Braunschweig, Aug. 11, 1721); Antonio e Cleopatra, serenata (Naples, Sept. 1725); II Sesostrate (Naples, May 13, 1726); La Semele o sia La richiesta fatale, serenata (Naples, 1726); LAstarto (Naples, Dec. 1726); Enea in Caonia, serenata (Naples, 1727); Gerone tiranno di Siracusa (Naples, Nov. 19, 1727); Aitalo, re di Bitinia (Naples, May 1728); L’Ulderica (Naples, Jan. 29, 1729); La Sorella amante, commedia per musica (Naples, 1729); Tigrane (Naples, Nov. 4, 1729; rev. version, Naples, Nov. 4, 1745); Artaserse (Venice, Feb. 1730; rev. version, Dresden, Sept. 9, 1740); Dalisa (Venice, May 1730); Arminio (Milan, Aug. 28, 1730); Ezio (Naples, 1730; rev. version, Dresden, Jan. 20, 1755); Cleofide (Dresden, Sept. 13, 1731; rev. version, Venice, Carnival 1736; subsequent revs. 1738 and 1743); Catone in Utica (Turin, Dec. 26, 1731); Cajo Fabricio (Rome, Jan. 12, 1732; subsequent revs, for Naples, 1733; Dresden, July 8, 1734; Berlin, Sept. 1766); Demetrio (Venice, Jan. 1732; subsequent revs, for Vienna [as Cleonice], Feb. 1734; Venice, Carnival 1737; Dresden [as Cleonice], Feb. 8, 1740; Venice, Carnival 1747); Euristeo (Venice, May 1732); Issipile (Naples, Oct. 1, 1732; rev. version by Leo, Naples, Dec. 19, 1742; 2nd rev. version by P. Cafaro, Naples, Dec. 26, 1763); Siroe re di Persia (Bologna, May 2, 1733; subsequent revs, for Naples, Nov. 4, 1747; Warsaw, Carnival 1763); Sei tu, Lidippe, ò il sole, serenata (Dresden, Aug. 4, 1734); Senz’attender che di maggio, cantata (Dresden, 1734); Tito Vespasiano (Pesaro, Sept. 24, 1735; subsequent revs, for Dresden, Jan. 17, 1738; Naples, Jan. 20, 1759); Senocrita (Dresden, Feb. 27, 1737); Atalanta (Dresden, July 26, 1737); Asteria, favola pastorale (Dresden, Aug. 3, 1737); Irene (Dresden, Feb. 8, 1738); Alfonso (Dresden, May 11, 1738); Viriate (Venice, Carnival 1739); Numa Pompilio (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1741); Lucio Papirio (Dresden, Jan. 18, 1742; rev. version by G. de Majo, Naples, Nov. 4, 1746; 2nd rev. version by Hasse or Graun, Berlin, Jan. 24, 1766); Asilio d’amore, festa teatrale (Naples, July 1742); Bidone abbandonata (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1742; rev. version by N. Logroscino, Naples, Jan. 20, 1744; subsequent revs, for Berlin, Dec. 29, 1752; Versailles, Aug. 28, 1753); Endimione, festa teatrale (Naples, July 1743); Antigono (Huber-tusburg, Oct. 10, 1743?; rev. version by A. Palella, Naples, Dec.
19, 1744); Ipermestra (Vienna, Jan. 8, 1744; rev. version by A. Palella, Naples, Jan. 20, 1746; 2nd rev. version, Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1751); Semiramide riconosciuta (Naples, Nov. 4, 1744; subsequent revs, for Dresden, Jan. 11, 1747; Warsaw, Oct. 7, 1760); Arminio (Dresden, Oct. 7, 1745; rev. version, Dresden, Jan. 8, 1753); La Spartana generosa, ovvero Archidamia (Dresden, June 14, 1747); Leucippo, favola pastorale (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1747; subsequent revs, for Venice, May 1749; Dresden, Jan. 7, 1751; Berlin, Jan. 7, 1765); Demofoonte (Dresden, Feb. 9, 1748; subsequent revs, for Venice, Carnival 1749; Naples, Nov. 4, 1758); II natal di Giove, serenata (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1749); Attilio Regolo (Dresden, Jan. 12, 1750); Ciro riconosciuto (Dresden, Jan. 20, 1751); Adriano in Siria (Dresden, Jan. 17, 1752); Solimano (Dresden, Feb. 5, 1753; rev. version, Dresden, Jan. 7, 1754); L’Eroe cinese (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1753; rev. version, Potsdam, July 18, 1773); Artemisia (Dresden, Feb. 6, 1754); II Ré pastore (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1755); L’Olimpiade (Dresden, Feb. 16, 1756; subsequent revs, for Warsaw, Carnival 1761; Turin, Dec. 26, 1764); Nitteti (Venice, Jan. 1758; rev. version, Vienna, 1762); // sogno di Scipione, azione teatrale (Warsaw, Oct. 7, 1758); Achille in Sciro (Naples, Nov. 4, 1759); Alcide al bivio, festa teatrale (Vienna, Oct. 8, 1760); Zenobia (Vienna, Carnival 1761); II trionfo di delia (Vienna, Aprii 27, 1762; rev. version by G. de Majo, Naples, Jan. 20, 1763); Egeria, festa teatrale (Vienna, Aprii 24, 1764); Romolo ed Ersilia (Innsbruck, Aug. 6, 1765); Partenope, festa teatrale (Vienna, Sept. 9, 1767; rev. version, Berlin, July 18, 1775); Piramo e Tisbe, intermezzo tragico (Vienna, Nov. 1768; rev. version, Vienna, Sept. 1770); II Ruggiero ovvero L’eroica gratitudine (Milan, Oct. 16, 1771). intermezzos:Miride e Damari (Naples, May 13, 1726); Larinda e Vanesio (Naples, Dec. 1726; subsequent revs, for Dresden, July 8, 1734; Venice, Carnival 1739); Grilletta e Porsugnacco (Venice, May 1727; subsequent revs, for Naples, Nov. 19, 1727; Dresden, Aug. 4, 1747); Carlotta e Pantaleone (Naples, May 1728; subsequent revs, for Naples, Carnival 1734; Potsdam, 1749); Scintilla e Don Tabarano (Naples, 1728; subsequent revs, for Venice, 1731; Dresden, July 26, 1737); Merlina e Galoppo (Naples, Jan. 29, 1729; subsequent revs, for Venice, 1741; Dresden, 1749); Donila e Balanzone (Naples, Nov. 4, 1729; rev. version, Venice, 1732); Lucilia e Pandolfo (Naples, 1730; subsequent revs, for Dresden, 1738; Venice, 1739; Dresden, 1755); Arrighetta e Cespuglio (Naples, c. 1730); Pimpinella e Marcantonio (Hubertusburg, Oct. 7, 1741; subsequent revs, for Dresden, Jan. 14, 1743; Versailles, Aug. 28, 1753); Rimario e Grïlantea (Nov. 3, 1741). oratorios:Daniello (Vienna, Feb. 15, 1731); Serpentes ignei in deserto (Venice, c. 1731); S. Petrus et S. Maria Magdalena (Venice, c. 1731); II cantico de’tre fanciulli (Dresden, April 23, 1734); Le virtù appiè della croce (Dresden, April 19, 1737); Giuseppe riconosciuto (Dresden, March 31, 1741); I Pellegrini al sepolcro de Nostro Signore (Dresden, March 23, 1742); La caduta di Gerico (Dresden, April 12, 1743); La deposizione dalla croce di Gesù Cristo, salvatore nostro (Dresden, April 4, 1744); S. Elena al Calvario (Dresden, April 9, 1746); La conversione di S. Agostino (Dresden, March 28, 1750).
instrumental: Twelve Concertos in 6 parts for Flute, 2 Violins, Viola, and Harpsichord or Cello, op.3 (London, 1741); 6 Concertos for Harpsichord or Organ (London, 1743; keyboard reduction of pieces from op.3); 6 Concertos in 6 parts for Flute, 2 Violins, Viola, and Harpsichord or Cello, op.6 (London, c. 1745); various other concertos; 3 quartets; many trio sonatas; numerous keyboard sonatas; etc.
Bibliography
F. Kandier, Cenni storico-critici intorno alla vita ed alle opere del cel. Gio. Adolfo H. detto il Sassone (Venice, 1820); U. de Gheltof, La “nuova Sirena” e il “caro Sassone” (Venice, 1890); B. Zeller, Das Recitativo accompagnato in den Opern J. A. H.s (Halle, 1911); W. Müller, J. A. H. als Kirchenkomponist (Leipzig, 1911; with thematic catalog); L. Kamienski, Die Oratorio von J. A. H. (Leipzig, 1912); R. Gerber, Der Operntypus J. A. H. und seine textlichen Grundlagen (Leipzig, 1925); S. Hanseil, The Solo Cantatas, Motets and Antiphons of J. A. H. (diss., Univ. of 111., 1966); idem, Works for Solo Voice of J. A. H. (Detroit, 1968; a catalog); F. Millner, The Operas of J. A. H. (Ann Arbor, 1979).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire