Rastrelli, Vincenzo

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Rastrelli, Vincenzo

Rastrelli, Vincenzo , Italian composer, father of Joseph Rastrelli ; b. Fano, near Pesaro, 1760; d. Dresden, March 20, 1839. He studied in Fano, and then with Padre Mattei in Bologna, where he was elected to membership in the Società Filarmonica in 1786. After serving as maestro di cappella at Fano Cathedral and maestro al cembalo at Pesaro’s Teatro del Sole, he was composer to the court church in Dresden from 1796 to 1802. Following a sojourn in Moscow (1802–06) and Italy (1806–07), he again held his Dresden position (1807–14; 1824–31), where he also was a singing teacher to the royal family (1814–24). In addition to his many sacred Works, he also composed an oratorio, Tobia, and a Harpsichord Concerto.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire