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Joachim Quantz (d. 1773), whose original training was as an expert trumpeter and oboist, as such entering the court-band at Dresden in 1718; but who there took up the flute so successfully that he was sent to Italy, Paris and London for further experience, returning to Dresden as flutist in 1727. At this time the Crown Prince Frederick heard him and had him at Berlin twice a year to give lessons, and from 1741 made him chamber-musician at a high salary. Quantz was a cultivated musician, a theorist and a critic of ability. For the flute he wrote at least 500 pieces of every description (from 1734), besides a method (1752). To him are attributed some additions to its mechanism. The extraordinary interest of Frederick the Great (d. 1786), who was himself a player and composer, did much to call attention to the flute, to stimulate composition for it and improvements in it. From 1750 its artistic importance was fully established.

An important oboist was Alessandro Besozzi (d. 1775), in court service at Turin from 1731, who with his two brothers made many concert-tours. His nephew, Carlo Besozzi, was in the Dresden court-band in 1755-92 (oboe-sonatas and concertos).

As further illustrating the interest in various other solo instruments, mention may be made of François Campion, in 1703-19 theorbist at the Paris Opéra, with methods for the guitar, lute and theorbo (1705-30) and some pieces; Ernst Gottlieb Baron (d. 1760), from 1728 court-lutist at Gotha, from 1732 at Eisenach, and from 1734 in Frederick's employ as theorbist at Rheinsberg and Berlin, writing well-known, but not remarkable, treatises on instruments of the lute class (1727, '56); Fabio Ursillo (d. 1759), a Roman arch-lutist, flutist, guitarist and violinist who worked at Tournai from 1725 (string-trios from about 1735); and Henri and Charles Baton, players on the musette (bagpipe) and vielle (hurdy-gurdy) at Paris, the latter with pieces (from 1733) and a work on the vielle (1757).

134. Instrumental Ensembles.—With the improvement of solo instruments and the growth of virtuosity came notable advances in concerted music for particular groups, like the string-trio or quartet, for the small or chamber orchestra (strings and some wood-wind), and for the large orchestra. The orchestra proper still continued to be mainly used as a part of the opera ensemble, so that distinct writing for it was rare except in the way of overtures and special dramatic numbers. But throughout the early 18th century chamber music in the proper sense steadily advanced. Herein lay the germs of orchestral composition, for through it were made the necessary technical experiments for determining how best to favor the peculiarities of the various instruments, and how to combine and contrast them. Through it, too, the outlines of practicable concerted forms began to be discerned. All this bore fruit in the next period in the practice of the early symphonists.