Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Blangini, Joseph Marie Felix

Blangini, Joseph Marie Felix, was born at Turin in 1781. At the age of twelve or thirteen he did the duty of organist at the cathedral of that town, and at fourteen led a mass with a full orchestra. He went to Paris in 1799, and devoted himself with the greatest success in giving lessons in singing and composition. He at the same time composed operas and many pleasing romances, and other light vocal pieces. In 1805 he was invited to Munich, and appointed chapel-master to the King of Bavaria ; and in 1809 the King of Westphalia conferred on him the situations of chapel-master, chamber musician, and chef-d'orchestre to the theatre. Blangini composed one hundred and sixty-four romances ; one hundred and seventy notturnos, for two voices ; seventeen sets of canzonets ; six motets ; four masses ; and about twenty operas. Among the more favorite of his operas may be cited "La fausse Duegne," "Nephtali," "Zelie et Terville," "Ines de Castro," "Les F�tes Lacedemoniennes," and "Le Sacrifice d'Abraham."