Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Blanchi, Francesco

Blanchi, Francesco, was born at Cremona. He composed either fifty-seven or fifty-eight entire operas, besides a considerable quantity of church and other music. He wrote a great deal for Pacchierotti and Marchesi, and some of his operas remain in public estimation, and were pperformed, both in Italy and in England, at least as often as those of any other master. He composed his "Disertor Franchese" at Venice in 1735, which obtained its celebrity in the following manner : Pacchierotti performed the part of the deserter, and in the proper costume of a French soldier. The dress of common life had never before been seen upon the opera stage, and so shocked was the classical taste of the Venetians at this innovation, that they actually refused the piece a fair hearing. It happened, however, that

some royal personage, passing through Venice, expressed a strong desire to see this opera, and in deference to him, the music suffered no interruption ; their rapture was equal to their first unwarrantable disgust, and the poor discarded "Disertor" became a reigning favorite. Bianchi wrote the first opera, both for Storace and for Billington, "Castore e Polluce" for the former, and "Inez di Castro" for the latter. His forte lay in fine expression. Though his "Merope" (the best of his works) displays how thoroughly he understood the use of instruments, his accompaniments were rather natural and easy than recherches. He went hand in hand with the style of his contemporaries, Paesiello, Cimarosa, &c., preferring simplicity to the more complicated effects introduced by the Germans. . His "Semiramide" is remarkable as having been chosen by Banti for her debut in England, when it had an extraordinary run. The fame of his success induced the managers to send for him to England, where he remained till the end of his life. Bianchi was previously engaged by the court of Vienna, but his residence in the service of the emperor was pre-vented by the death of that great personage. It is said that the emperor, having desired his presence at some town in Italy, after conversing with him for near two hours with great familiarity, at length questioned him as to his willingness to settle at Vienna. Bianchi assented, and an engagement was formally made out by the Austrian minister at Venice. He had just read the paper of his appointment, when news of the death of the emperor was brought him, and his good fortune died with the prince. We may relate an anecdote which is, perhaps, the strongest proof of this composer's talents. While Haydn was in England, he assured Bianchi that whenever the accidents of life disturbed his temper, he kept one leaf of Bianchi's works turned down for reference; to this he always resorted, and it never failed to restore his serenity.

As a learned contrapuntist, Bianchi ranked high, and a great work of his on the theory of music remained unpublished at his death, in the hands of his widow, Mrs. Lacy. The entire work was intrusted to the care of the editor of the "Quarterly Musical Review," with permission to publish extracts. A series of these will be found in the above work, commencing at vol. ii. p. 22.