Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Bertoni, Ferdinando

Bertoni, Ferdinando, chapel-master at the Conservatory of the Mendicanti, at Venice, was born in 1727. He was pupil of Padre Martini. In the year 1776, he obtained great renown by his composition of the opera of "Orfeo," which was received with enthusiasm at the theatre in Venice. In 1779, Bertoni accompanied Pacchierotti to England ; however, Sacchini was then in too high favor in London for Bertoni to have much success. Few masters knew better than he the mechanical parts of their business; his melody was flowing and graceful, though not often new ; his parts were clear and well arranged, and his counterpoint perfectly correct ; still there was sometimes a pacific smoothness in his music that bordered upon languor. Upon the death of Galuppi, in 1785, Bertoni was appointed chapel-master to St. Mark's Church and the state of Venice, the most honorable and lucrative employment to which a musical composer can aspire in Italy. Bertoni was the master of the celebrated singer Tenducci. He composed thirty operas, the words of most of which were written by Metastasio, Apostolo Zeno, and other eminent Italian poets.