# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Steffani, Agostino

​STEFFANI, Agostino. This very remarkable man was born in 1655 at Castel franco, between Bassano and Treviso, six years after Alessandro Scarlatti and three years before Purcell. Of his parentage nothing is known. He appears to have entered one of the Conservatorios early, and become a singing boy at St. Mark's in Venice, where in 1667 he was heard by a Count Tattenbach, probably an emissary of the Court of Bavaria. The Count was so delighted with his voice and intelligence, that he carried him off to Munich. He was educated at the expense of the Elector Ferdinand Maria, as appears from a decree of July 26, 1668, ordering a payment of 150 florins to Count Tattenbach for the board and lodging of the 'Welscher Musikus Augustin Steffani' during the previous year. By another decree of July 9, 1668, the young 'Churfürstliche Kammer- und Hofmusikus' had been already apprenticed to Johann Kaspar Kerl to learn to play (schlagen) the organ, and to be boarded, for the yearly sum of 432 florins. A further entry of the pay office shows that the yearly cost of the Hof- and Kammermusikus was, for 1669, 903 fl. 12 kr.; for 1670, 997 fl. He remained with Kerl till Oct. 1, 1671, from which day he was boarded and lodged by the Churfürstlichen Karamerdiener Seyler for 156 fl. a year. As Hofmusikus, Steffani received 300 fl., in addition to a clothing allowance of 300 fl. a year, by a decree of Jan. 15, 1672. At the commencement of Oct. 1673 he travelled to Rome in order to perfect himself in his art. Here he began to compose assiduously, for there is a small oblong volume of motets in the Fitzwilliam Museum, at Cambridge, an original MS., of which there seems no reason to doubt the authenticity. This is, as far as I know, the only autograph score of his in existence, and strange to say has hitherto been unnoticed. In it we find the following compositions, all dated except one. To speak of them chronologically:—the first, dated Nov. 1673, is a 'Laudate Pueri' for 9 voices, divided into 2 choirs, the first composed of S.S.A.T.B., and the second of S.A.T.B. It contains some fine part-writing and massive effects, also an astonishing bass passage.
The next, dated Dec. 30, 1673, is a splendid and altogether remarkable 'Laudate Dominum' for 8 canti concertati, divided into 2 choirs, in which the most beautiful part-writing and counterpoint are combined. Again in 1673, with no month given, we have a 'Tribuamus Domino'—one short movement for 2 choirs of S.S.A.T., without any bass voice part. In the following year we have a 'Sperate in Deo' for S.S.A.T.B. in three fine movements, the last a fugue. In one of the movements there is a very bold passage in thirds in contrary motion. The remaining piece, not dated, is a 'Beatus vir' for S.S.B., with 2 violins and a bass, not quite equal to the other compositions.
In Rome he appears to have had a long illness, as he received 50 crowns extra for expenses incurred while laid up. This illness, and a journey to Venice, for which he received a sum of 665 fl. 11 kr. in three instalments, render it improbable that he found time to take lessons from Ercole ​Bernabei in Rome, for both Steffani and he were in Munich in the summer of 1674. Bernabei succeeded Kerl as Kapellmeister at Munich in that year. After his return Steffani again took up his position as Kammermusikus with a pay of 770 fl. 20 kr., and almost immediately published his first work, 'Psalmodia vespertina volans 8 plenis vocibus concinenda ab Augost. Steffana in lucem edita ætatis suæ anno 19 Monachii 1674.' This work was a brilliant success for the young composer, and a portion of it was thought worthy of being included by Padre Martini in his 'Saggio di Contrappunto,' published just a hundred years later. The extract is a fugue 'Sicut erat in principio,' 'estratto dal Magnificat dei Salmi brevi a 8 voci pieni.' Padre Martini here speaks of Steffani as one of the most remarkable professors that music can boast. Hawkins mentions that this work was previously printed during his stay in Rome in 1674, so that the generally received notion of his having been a pupil of Ercole Bernabei is in all likelihood erroneous, but that he gathered his knowledge from John Kaspar Kerl, a pupil and follower of Carissimi, and from his own study. On March 1, 1675, he was appointed court organist.
But music was not the only study which had occupied his mind; he must have been well educated from his early youth, for though he left Venice before he was 12 years old his writing remained through life an Italian hand. He had studied mathematics, philosophy, and theology with so much success that in 1680 he was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, with the title of Abbate of Lepsing; and such was the favour shown to him by the new Elector, his old friend Ferdinand Maria having died the year before, that a decree of Nov. 3, 1680, accords to the 'Honourable priest, Court and Chamber musician, and Organist Steffani,' a present of 1200 florins for 'certain reasons and favours' (gewissen Ursachen und Gnaden). Hitherto he had confined himself to the composition of motets and other church music, but now appeared his first work for the stage. The title, taken from the contemporary MS., evidently the conducting score, in the Royal Musical Library at Buckingham Palace, in an Italian hand, probably that of his secretary and copyist Gregorio Piva, runs thus:—'Marco Aurelio, Dramma posto in Musica da D. Agostino Steffani, Direttor della Musica di Camera di S. A. S. etc., di Baviera, l'anno 1681.' It will be seen that a further step had been gained—he was now Director of Chamber-music. The score does not mention any wind instruments, but the overture is scored for 5 strings, the songs chiefly for 4. In the 1st act one of the characters accompanies another on the stage, but the instrument, probably a cembalo, is not mentioned. The overture opens with a short introduction of a broad character, followed by a fine and spirited fugal movement, and ending with a charming minuet. The first two acts finish with a ballet; but after the 3rd and last act we have a Scenico spettacolo rappresentato dai 15 Musici di Corte. This commences with a mock rehearsal, in which such sentences are found a 'Ah! ah! ah! mi sento poco in voce,' etc. (my voice is in bad order). The opera contains many fine recitatives and melodious airs. For the time it was written it is a remarkable work, bearing traces of real genius. It is curious to find Fétis stating that the Da Capo was first introduced by Alessandro Scarlatti in his opera 'Teodora,' given in Home in 1693, whereas it is already here in, general use 12 years before, and Steffani himself probably borrowed it from Cavalli, who had greatly advanced opera since the days of Monteverde, and whose works Steffani must have heard in Venice, either in his chorister days or during his journey in 1674. In 1683 appeared some Sonate da Camera for 2 violins, alto, and bass, and in 1685 a collection of motets entitled 'Sacer Janus Quadrifrons 3 voc. Monachii,' but no trace of these works is to be found. For the Carnival of 1685 he composed the opera 'Solone,' to words by Ventura Terzago, court poet since 1677. This appears to have been an opera buffa in 3 acts; the score however, like all the Munich operas by Steffani with the exception of 'Marco Aurelio,' is lost. In conjunction with Terzago, he further composed in this year a musical introduction for a tournament, with the following title:—'Audacia e Rispetto, prerogativo d'Amore, disputate in Campo di Marte. Torneo celebrato trà i carnevaleschi divertimenti della sua Elletorale corte dal Seren. Massimiliano Emanuele, etc., nell' anno 1685.' The new Elector Maximilian Emanuel was married at the end of 1685 to the Archduchess Maria Antonia, daughter of Leopold I., and the wedding festivities in Munich in the first days of January 1686 began with the opera 'Servio Tullio,' again by Terzago and Steffani, with ballets arranged by Rodier, and music to them by Dardespin, the Munich Concert-meister, danced by 12 ladies and gentlemen of the court, with costumes from Paris. The music made its mark, as we shall see hereafter. On Jan. 18, 1687, the birthday of the young Electress, we have an opera—the text of which was by the new Italian secretary Luigi Orlandi, whose wife sang on the stage—called 'Alarico il Baltha, cioè l'audace, rè dei Gothi,' with ballets composed, arranged, and danced as before. For this opera fresh Italian singers were brought from Italy. Of the value of Steffani's music to it no record is given. In 1688 he composed the opera 'Niobe, regina di Thebe,' probably for the Carnaval, the text again by Orlandi. This was his last work for the Court of Munich.
Various reasons have been put forward to account for his leaving a court where he had been, so well treated, and where the art of music was held in such esteem, for Munich had not only at this time good singers, a good orchestra, and experienced and intelligent audiences, but had likewise a splendid musical history. Duke Albert III. (1438–1460) was a great patron of the art; he was followed by other rulers, all lovers of music. Here at the beginning of the 16th century we ​find Meister Ludwig Senfel 'in musica totius Germaniæ princeps'; here came Cipriano di Rore, Trajano, Venerolo, and above all, Orlando di Lasso, 'Fürst und Phönix der Musiker.' Jesuitenspiele (mysteries) were given here on a great scale; one in July 1597, where, besides the principal actors, we find 900 chorus singers, to say nothing of 300 devils, who with Lucifer were driven into the flames of Hell by St. Michael. Munich besides was one of the earliest cities where opera found a home in Germany, and where it was now perhaps best represented. Everything then made Munich a desirable residence for Steffani. The Elector had granted him 750 florins on account of his two operas and for a 'Badekur' in Italy in June 1686. In May 1688 gracious permission was given to him to go again to Italy (Welschland) in consideration of his 21 years' service; his salary was not only paid to the end of June, but from the beginning of July he was given three years' salary as a reward! Not only so, but his debts were paid by the Court Treasurer out of this, and the balance was sent to him in Venice, where he had gone. The main reason for his deserting Munich was no doubt that on the death of the elder Bernabei at the end of the year 1687 his son, who had come from Italy in 1677 to fill the post of Vice-Kapellmeister, was in the early part of 1688 made Kapellmeister, thus debarring Steffani from further promotion. Added to this, the Duke of Brunswick, Ernst August, who had been present at the festivities when 'Servio Tullio' was performed, was so delighted with Steffani's music and singing that he had already made him an offer to go to Hanover, and Steffani appears actually to have made use of the leave granted for the Badekur in Italy in 1686 to spend his time in Hanover instead of there. The appointment then of the younger Bernabei to the Munich Kapellmeistership must have decided him at once to leave Munich, and from Venice at the end of 1688 or early in 1689 he made his way to Hanover, there to remain and become Kapellmeister, and a good deal besides.
If Munich was a pleasant place for a musician of genius, Hanover was not far behind it. It might not have the same glorious musical history; but Steffani found there congenial society, and singers and players of great excellence. The Court of Hanover was renowned for its magnificence, politeness, and courtesy, which was however combined with a friendly simplicity (bürgerliche Einfacheit), and held to be the best in Germany. It was presided over by the celebrated Duchess (afterwards Electress) Sophia. One of its principal ornaments was the great philosopher Leibnitz, who had resided there since 1676, and who, with the Duchess Sophia, had raised the tone of the Court to a very high intellectual standard. There was also the court poet, Abbate Ortensio Mauro, at once Geheimer Secretar, Hofceremonielmeister, and political agent, who came to Hanover in 1679, and in whom the Duchess placed great confidence. Steffani became the friend of these men. Up to this time the operas at Hanover (chiefly imported from Venice) were given in the small French theatre, but that being deemed too small, a new opera-house was built, which was pronounced to be the most beautiful in all Germany. It created the reputation of its architect Thomas Giusti, and caused him to be called to Berlin and other towns for similar purposes. The new house was opened in 1689 with 'Henrico Leone,' by Mauro and Steffani. This opera, on a truly extravagant subject, was brought out with great splendour. The score in Buckingham Palace gives a list of the scenes, machinery, etc., which might astonish even a 19th-century reader.
| Scenes. | Machinery. |
| Spiaggia con mar tempestoso. Atrio del Palazzo Ducale in Luneburgo. Giardino. Deserto sparso d'Alberi Sopra uno de quail e un nido di Grifoni. Anticamere di Metilde. Prigione. Monte Calcario o Kalcberg. Sala Regia con apparato d'un Convito di Nozze. Bardewich assediato. Porta di Luneburgo ornata a modo d'arco trionfale. | Nave che si spezza. Grifone che porta in aria Henrico, e lo pone nel suo nido. L'incanto d'Errea nelle anti camere di Metilda. Nube che porta Henrico sul monte Calcarto. Demone ch'alza il Leone in aria, e lo lascia cadere. Assalto e presa di Bardewich. Carro trionfale tirato da 4 Cavalli vivi. |
It had a very great success, was given in German, in 1696 at Hamburgh and in 1697 at Brunswick, and acquired great celebrity. The opera shows marked progress on 'Marco Aurelio.' The character of the music is altogether of a higher kind, and has great variety. During the latter part of the overture a full chorus is heard behind the scenes before the rise of the curtain. In the 3rd act we find a fine march, and a pretty gavotte for orchestra in the 1st act. Among the songs, a charming rondeau, and an accompanied recitative of great power in the 2nd act, although Fétis again claims the invention for A. Scarlatti in 'Teodora.' A remarkable change is found in the instrumentation. There are flutes, hautboys, bassoons, 3 trumpets and drums, in addition to the strings, in 4 parts. There are delightful contrapuntal devices in the scoring, all the wind instruments have obbligato passages, one air a vigorous fagotto obbligato throughout. Chrysander states (Life of Handel) that the opera company in Hanover was divided into two camps, an instrumental (French) and a vocal (Italian), both however working harmoniously. The singers must have been of the best if they could execute these difficult arias; the band too must have been excellent. The leading violin in the orchestra was Farinelli (uncle of the famous singer), who had been much in France, and in Spain too, from whence he brought 'Les Folies d'Espagne,' known in England as 'Farinell's Ground,' and turned to good account in Corelli's celebrated opera quinta, dedicated by the way to the daughter of the Electress Sophia. Corelli was a great friend of Concertmeister Farinelli, and during his tour in Germany spent ​some time at Hanover, where he became acquainted with the Electoral family. The hautboys too were particularly good, and Chrysander supposes that Handel wrote his first hautboy concerto for this orchestra. It is to be noted that all Steffani's operas composed in Hanover have the 1st violin part written with the G clef on the 1st line of the stave, which Leopold Mozart in his Violin School calls the 'French Clef.' 'Henrico Leone,' it may be said, is exactly the type of one of Handel's operas, consisting of an overture alla Lulli, with its introduction consisting chiefly of a dotted crotchet followed by a quaver (as found later in the opening of the 'Messiah' overture), recitatives, songs, duets, and a short ensemble of all the characters to finish the last act, with the addition of a ballet, which does not occur in Handel, except in his early Hamburg operas. It is essential to understand how these dotted figures are to be interpreted, whether according to modern notions or according to the prevailing custom a century since. Leopold Mozart in his Violin School leaves no doubt about it. He says:—'In slow pieces there are certain passages in which the dot must be held somewhat longer than the above-written rule demands if the performance is not to become too sleepy. For example, in the following passage (a), if the dot were held its usual length it would at once sound lazy and sleepy.
In such a case the dotted note must be held a little longer. The time for holding it must, so to speak, be deducted from the note following the dot. It would be very good if this long sustaining of the dot were very decided and marked. I at least have often done it, and I have indicated my idea of the performance with two dots (b) as well as the shortening of the following note. True it appears strange to the eye; but what does that matter? The phrase has its meaning, and musical taste will be advanced.'
'Henrico Leone' was followed in the summer of this year by 'La lotta d'Hercole con Acheloo,' a divertimento drammatico in 1 act, a charming work, written probably also by Mauro. In this we find the germ of Handel's 'Angels ever bright and fair.' The Symphony commences thus:—
The air thus:—
Again—
There are dances for 'Les gens de Cour.' It was probably performed at the Summer Theatre at Herrenhausen. The next opera was 'La superbia d' Alessandro,' in 1690 (the conducting score gives 1691 as the date), the words by Mauro; a fine work. Many songs have obbligato instrumental parts, especially one in the 2nd act, where 2 flutes obbligati are sustained by muted violins and alto—a beautiful piece; also one song with cembalo solo. This opera also found its way to Hamburg and Brunswick in a German translation. 'Orlando generoso' came out in 1691—another fine work written in conjunction with Mauro. Here we find the first idea of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, and some of the divisions in 'Why do the nations?' This again was given later at Hamburg. Chrysander speaks of an opera called 'Il zelo di Leonato' in 1691, but it is doubtful if Steffani composed the music. 'Le Rivali concordi' appeared in 1692, written again by Mauro, and afterwards performed at Hamburg. We now come to 'La libertà contenta' (Mauro) in 1693, in which evidence is given of great further progress, for nothing of such importance had hitherto come from his pen. It is full of beauties of all kinds—a fine overture, fine counterpoint, beautiful melodies, very difficult arias, and powerful recitatives. It had the greatest success, and was most highly thought of at Hamburg. The movements are longer and more developed than in his previous works. We find the second subject of the last movement of Schumann's PF. Concerto thus foreshadowed:—
and a remarkable passage in a recitative:—
Again—
​Chrysander speaks of an opera 'Der siegende Alcides,' as probably of the year 1694, but it is not in the collections of scores, nor is it mentioned in the five volumes of favourite arias and duets by Steffani brought from Hanover by George I., and now in the musical library at Buckingham Palace. It was however given in Hamburg two years later as an opera by Mauro and Steffani; the book arranged from Quinault's 'Alceste,' as written for Lulli.
It was in the next year that Steffani issued his celebrated pamphlet, entitled 'Quanto certezza habbia da suoi Principii la Musica, ed in qual pregio fosse perciò presso gli Antichi. Amsterdam, 1695. Risposta di D. A. Steffani Abbate di Lepsing Protonotario della San Sede Apostolica. Ad una lettera del S$^o$. March$^e$. A. G. In difesa d'una Proposizione sostenuta da lui in una Assemblea Hannovera Sett. 1694. 72 pp. in 12.' It was translated twice into German; in 1699 by Andreas Werckmeister at Quedlinburg; in 1760 by Jean Laurent Albrecht at Mühlhausen. Padre Martini says it was printed 'da otto volte,' which has been assumed by Burney to mean that it was printed eight different times, whereas it simply signifies that it was printed in octavo! In this pamphlet he ably discusses the question whether music exists only in the imagination, or is grounded on nature and science. It is needless to say that he upholds the dignity of the art in all its bearings.—In 1695 we have the opera 'I trionfi del Fato, o le glorie d'Enea,' another charming work. It found its way to Hamburg in 1699. An opera in 1 act 'Baccanali,' was also composed this year for the small theatre in Hanover. It is a work of great beauty, and contains the first notes of Handel's 'Let the bright Seraphim.'
For the Carnival of 1696 the grand opera of 'Briseide' was composed, the words by Palmieri, Comes Italus. No composer's name is mentioned, and Chrysander thinks it is not by Steffani; but the two scores and collections of Steffani's songs at Buckingham Palace leave little doubt on examination that it is his work, and in his usual manner. We may add that it contains the first ideas of Handel's 'O ruddier than the cherry' and 'How beautiful.' These were the golden days of the opera in Hanover.
A change was now about to take place in Steffani's circumstances. He was no longer to be the active composer of operas, and Kapellmeister, but from this time forth was destined to devote his time chiefly to diplomacy, though he never forsook the art of which he was so great an ornament. Ernst August had sent 5000 men to assist the Emperor against the Turks, and some 8000 against the French; his two eldest sons, George (afterwards king of England) and Frederick Augustus, had served in the field, and three others had been killed in the wars. The Emperor as a reward determined, in 1692, to create a 9th Elector, and raise the younger branch of the house of Brunswick-Lüneburg to the Electorate. This was generally deemed just, but many difficulties stood in the way, and during four years the position of Ernst August as Elector became more and more difficult, so that, in 1696, it was determined to send an Envoy Extraordinaire round to the various German Courts to smooth matters over, and Ernst August and Leibnitz could find no one among the court personnel in Hanover so well fitted for the post as Abbate Steffani. With the title of 'Envoyé Extraordinaire' he set out on his mission, and so admirably did he succeed, that at the end of the mission he was not only granted a considerably larger salary than he had hitherto had at Court, but Innocent XI. was induced to raise him to the dignity of Bishop (in partibus infidelium) of Spiga in Anatolia, Asia Minor—the ancient Cyzicus. This was also, perhaps in recognition of Steffani's services, aided by the tolerant Leibnitz, in procuring for the Roman Catholics in Hanover the privilege of holding public worship. Steffani was now an accomplished courtier and diplomatist. In the early part of 1698 he was sent to Brussels as Ambassador, and there had his first audience on March 1. In this year the Elector Ernst August died, and Steffani afterwards transferred his services to the Elector Palatine at Düsseldorf, where he became a Privy Councillor as well as the Pope's Protonotarius for North Germany, though at what time this occurred is not known. For some thirteen years after 1696 there is no record of there having been any operas composed for the Court of Hanover, except two by a Signer Mancia, one in 1697, another undated; but in 1709 we find Steffani again with two new operas, one for the Court at Hanover, the other at Düsseldorf. Both are stated in the scores at Buckingham Palace to be by Gregorio Piva—his secretary, whose name he adopted for his compositions after he became a statesman, and this is the earliest date at which it occurs in any of the MSS. of his works, as far as I know. The opera given at Hanover is called 'Enea, or Amor vien dal destine,' in the large copy, but in the conducting score 'Il Turno'—in 3 acts, and is a very fine work; again an advance on any previous effort. The second movement of the overture has a masterly chorus sung on the stage before the rise of the curtain, foreshadowing the grand choruses which Handel afterwards brought forward in his oratorios; also antedating the same feature in Meyerbeer's 'Dinorah.' Handel, indeed, is indebted for one or two ideas to this opera, notably the opening of the Presto movement in the second Suite de Pieces, and again for a phrase in the chorus 'For unto us.' The theme before referred to as being like 'Let the bright seraphim,' is here found in the minor key. One air is to be accompanied, 'deve esser ​accompagnato da un Concerto intiero di Chalumeau sopra la Scena, da due Fagotti nascosti dietro le Ali; e da due Teorbe nella Orchestra le quali però non suonino che le note segnate.' A grand aria is also accompanied by three trumpets, drums, oboi, fagotti, and strings. The Düsseldorf opera, 'Tassilone, Tragedia in 5 Atti,' is only represented at Buckingham Palace by a vocal score; the overture and all instrumental effects are wanting, only the bass being given to the different pieces; but the singers' names, all Italian, are mentioned. The music is mostly excellent. The second act commences with a charming chorus alternating with dances. The movements of both these operas of 1709 are all long, well developed, and broad, and our composer has not failed to march with the times. Chrysander says that a full score of 'Tassilone' is in the Berlin library, and remarks that a much richer use of the instruments is made, and that the coloratur passages are longer in this than in his preceding operas.—There remains one more opera to speak of, 'Arminio,' which, according to the full score (one of those brought from Hanover by George I.), was composed for the Court of the Elector Palatine in 1707. Though bearing no composer's name, it is without doubt a composition of Steffani, entirely in his manner and one of his very finest; the instrumental colouring still more full and varied than in any other opera of his. And what further establishes its claim to be considered Steffani's is the fact that the fine air, with fagotto obbligato from 'Henrico Leone,' is introduced with other words, and for a soprano instead of a tenor voice. This opera, and 'Tassilone,' show that the Palatine Court at that time possessed a very fine orchestra, and a splendid company of singers. Or did the Hanover company occasionally join its old Hanover Kapellmeister in Düsseldorf?—'von Haus aus,' as the Germans have it. It is quite possible that Steffani composed more operas than these, and that several may have been written for Düsseldorf which have not come down to us; but what we have, form a splendid series of masterly works that establish him as a composer of the first rank, equal to Lulli, greatly his superior as a contrapuntist, if possibly, and only possibly, inferior to him in dramatic force. In Hamburg his reputation was so great that no music was thought equal to his. There Bach and Handel as young men must have listened to his operas. Among other gifts he had great tact in bringing about very fine performances with his exceptionally good singers and players.
Though, however, his operas were his greatest works, they could not attain the same universal popularity as his well-known duets for various voices, with a bass accompaniment. These are mostly in three long movements, some with recitatives and solos, in the cantata form, following Carissimi and Stradella. Of these celebrated duets (as an introduction to which Sir John Hawkins wrote a special biography) there are more than a hundred in the British Museum (Add. MSS. 5055, etc.), and in the splendid copy in 3 vols. in Buckingham Palace. The words were mostly by Ortensio Mauro, Averara, Abbate Conti, Conte Francesco Palmieri, etc. The testimony to the great excellence of these compositions is abundant. Burney says, in speaking of these duets, 'Those of the admirable Abbate Stetfani were dispersed in MS. throughout Europe.' Mattheson again, 'In these duets Steffani is incomparable to all I know, and deserves to be a model, for such things do not easily become old.' Chrysander also writes, 'These duets are the greatest of their kind.' To the foregoing it is useless to add further commendation. The most renowned singers, Senesino, Strada, and others, delighted in them, and used them constantly for practice in both expressive and florid singing. No copies of these duets are dated, but they were probably all composed after he went to Hanover; and some of them are known to have been written for the Princess Sophia Dorothea.
The Duke of Brunswick, Anton Ulrich, was converted to Romanism in 1710, and we find Steffani going from Düsseldorf to Brunswick to accept in the name of the Pope a piece of ground as a site for a Romish church. At the time of the Carnival of this year we find him in Venice in company with Baron Kielmansegge, and he there met Handel, whom he induced to visit Hanover on his way to London. Handel testifies to Steffani's great kindness to him while in Hanover; he was anxious too that he should become Kapellmeister at this Court. About the year 1712 the new church in Brunswick was so far ready that the Pope sent Bishop Steffani, Vicario apostolico delle missione Settentrionali, to consecrate the building and perform the opening service. Two years later the Elector of Hanover became King of England, but Steffani did not accompany him to London, indeed we do not meet with his name again till 1724, when the Academy of Ancient Music in London unanimously elected him its Hon. President for life. This Academy, of which Handel was a great supporter, had been instituted by Dr. Pepusch, J. E. Gaillard, the only known pupil of Steffani, and other musicians, and had become well known abroad. Many eminent musicians of the continent were made honorary members, Steffani among the number, who appears to have sent over the following four works for performance—the fine and well-known Madrigal, 'Qui diligit Mariam,' for S.S.A.T.B. (in which occurs a passage taken by Handel for the chorus in 'Solomon,' 'Music spread thy voice abroad'); another madrigal, called 'La Spagnuola,' 'Al rigor d'un bel sembiante,' for two altos and tenor, not so remarkable; and the beautiful madrigal, 'Gettano i Rè dal soglio.' ​These are generally found in the MS. collections of the time. The fourth piece was the great Stabat Mater, composed for S.S.A.T.T.B., accompanied by 2 violins, 3 altos, cello and organo, and undoubtedly one of the finest works of any composer of the period immediately preceding that of the giants Bach and Handel. His great contemporaries Alessandro Scarlatti and Purcell produced nothing finer. No exact dates can be assigned to these four works, but they all belong to his later manner. In Steffani is to be found the perfection of counterpoint without stiffness, and with that real sign of genius, exhaustless variety. As in Bach, there is marvellous freedom in the movement of the parts, and no hesitation at a good clashing dissonance produced by this freedom. He was an adept too at writing the charming minuets and gavottes which were then so fashionable, and with which his operas abound. At the British Museum there is likewise a glorious 'Confitebor' for 3 voices with violins and bass in E minor, said to be of the year 1709, with a splendid bass solo ('Sanctum et terribile') a species of accompanied recitative; the whole work being full of exquisite beauties. No notice of this piece has yet appeared in any life of Steffani's. In the Sacred Harmonic Society's library there is a book of 'XII Motteta par celeberrimum Abbatem Stephanum' for 3 voices with solos and recitatives, but it is only a vocal score, without the symphonies and accompaniments which all undoubtedly had. In another book in the same library however we find two of them complete. In their mutilated form it is not always easy to judge of the value of these motets, but some movements are certainly very fine, especially the last of no. 3, the first of the 5th, and the last Fugue of no. 8, which is very broad and quite Handelian. The movement 'Pro Christo' in this motet was introduced at the end of a collection of glees published by Hindle some 60 or 80 years since, and inserted 'by desire,' showing that the work was then popular. Hawkins mentions that Dr. Cooke had a book of 12 Motets for three voices, 'among them two that are exquisitely fine.' This is no doubt the book referred to.
Early in 1729 Steffani was once more and for the last time in Italy; and Handel met him at Rome in March, where he was living at the Palace of Cardinal Ottoboni. This latter enthusiast still kept up his Monday performances of music, at which Steffani, now 74 years old, occasionally sang. Handel tells us (through Hawkins) that 'he was just loud enough to be heard, but that this defect in his voice was amply recompensed by his manner, in the chasteness and elegance of which he had few equals.' From Handel we also learn that 'as to his person he was less than the ordinary size of men, of a tender constitution of body, which he had not a little impaired by intense study and application. His deportment is said to have been grave, but tempered with a sweetness and affability that rendered his conversation very engaging; he was perfectly skilled in all the external forms of polite behaviour, and, which is somewhat unusual, continued to observe and practise them at the age of fourscore.' He was back in Hanover in a short time, and the next year, going to Frankfort on some public business, died there after a short illness.
[ W. G. C. ]
* ↑ See Rudhart's 'Geschichte der Oper am Hofe zu München. Nach archivalischen Quellen bearbeitet. Erster Theil, Die Italiauische Oper, 1634–1787.'
* ↑ Rudhardt can find no trace in the accounts at Munich of his having had any lessons from Bernabei.
* ↑ See Chrysander's Life of Handel.
* ↑ The accompanied recitative appears really to have been introduced by Landi in an opera, San Alessio, Dramma musicale dell? Cardinale Barberini, Musica di Stefano Landi; Roma, Paolo Masatti, 1634' (Folio).
* ↑ Handel said to Hawkins, 'He received me with great kindness, and took an opportunity to introduce me to the Princess Caroline and the Elector's son .... and being called from the city to attend to matters of a public concern, he left me in the possession of that favour and patronage which himself had enjoyed for a series of years. The occasion of Steffani's leaving Hanover was that on April 12 the Elector was, through his Envoyé Steffani. invested by the Emperor with the post of Erbschatzmeister (Hereditary Grand Treasurer). This tends to show that Steffani was at home both at Düsseldorf, where the Elector Palatine was very musical, and at Hanover.