# Francesco Maria Veracini



## Torkelburger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Maria_Veracini

Seems a bit of an eccentric fellow. As you'll see, his music is too. Could easily be described with the cliche "tortured genius" label, but throwing yourself from a second-story window to try and commit suicide and being as talented an instrumentalist and composer as he was, he fits the part.

I highly recommend to listen to the listed times here of the link, because there is so much music in the link I want to impress you from the start. If you just go from the beginning, I'm afraid you may think he is just a Vivaldi copycat (and come back here and tell me so). He is not.

He is a baroque composer, but his music does not have the complex chromaticism of Bach. Nor does he match his counterpoint. He writes in the Italian style of Vivaldi. But it begins to hint at classical style (in my opinion) and so really grabs you with the melody, quirkiness, and rhythym. All of which is highly inventive.

I first heard this CD in the late 90s while shopping at Tower Records in Boston. I remember that I didn't think this composer was real. I thought it was a modern composer/arranger pretending to be baroque and had to go to the counter to look at the CD.

The first thing to listen to is at *11:59*. The music speaks for itself. The climactic chord progressions and their harmonic rythym is what really is unique and jumps out at me and my ears here.

At *15:01*is an example of Veracini at some of his best counterpoint. Some of the best I've heard.

My favorite is at *48:40*. Again we have lightning fast counterpoint. Listen to the funky rythyms in the bass instruments. The offbeats. And coming in on that trill on the upbeat. Love it! And that superbly-crafted ending just before the repeat. It builds and builds and cadences, but does it end? Nope, its got one more scale and quirky cadence that is so clever and satisfying.

Some real Mozartian stuff happens for me at *1:00:00*, but much more capricious in nature with all the repetition and quirkiness. So original and unique.

And what is with the ending at *1:08:20*???!!! Someone should have told Veracini the Romantic period wasn't for more than a century later and the Classical Period needed to come first!

This orchestra is playing on period instruments, by the way (baroque violins, etc).


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## musicrom

I've come across Veracini's music by chance a few times, and every time have come away impressed. His music is quirky, unique, interesting. I like his writing for the violin. He should definitely be more well-known among the Baroque-era composers.


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## Ingélou

musicrom said:


> I've come across Veracini's music by chance a few times, and every time have come away impressed. His music is quirky, unique, interesting. I like his writing for the violin. He should definitely be more well-known among the Baroque-era composers.


Thanks for bumping this guestbook - I so agree with your post. Some beautiful pieces for violin were included in a baroque music book I was working through a couple of years ago, and I loved playing them. :tiphat:

I've put the 5 ouvertures on my Facebook page and am listening to them now - lyrical and inspiriting.


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## JSBach85

Veracini should be among the best baroque composers of his lifetime. The first time I listened to his works was with his Violin Sonatas and revealed me that along with Matteis, Veracini is probably among the best virtuoso violinists ever. I have a reference recording for the violin sonatas:

Minasi/Musica Antiqua Roma (period instruments)










Later on, I purchased and discovered the overtures with Musica Antiqua Koln, outstanding performances of the music of the Dresden Court. Veracini combines good Dresden solidity with wisping, virtuosic Italian brio and gusto. His music has nothing to envy to Vivaldi, Handel and other great masters of the 18th century.

Overtures. Goebel / Musica Antiqua Koln (period instruments)










Finally, I discovered through an aria from Adriano in Siria that Veracini was also an oustanding opera composer.

Passionate Baroque Arias. Bertagnolli / Ensemble Cordia. Veggetti (on period instruments)










F. M. Veracini: Adriano in Siria (1735) / Aria [soprano] Quel cor che mi donasti / G. Bertagnolli






The complete opera Adriano in Sitia by Veracini was fully recorded by Europa Galante/Biondi. Later on I will give my opinion about it, that is part of my collection as one of my favourite operas ever composed.


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