JOMELLI, NICOLO, one of the greatest composers of the Neapolitan school, was born at Aversa, a small town near Naples, in 1714. Having learned to sing and to play on the harpsichord, under the canon Muzillo, he went in 1730 to Naples, where he studied under Prota and Mancini, and afterwards under Fco and Leo. His earlier compositions were Cantatas, which indicated his talent for
dramatic music. The success of his first opera, L'errore Jomelli, amoroso, determined him to cultivate theatrical composition. Next year, 1738, he composed his first serious opera, Odoardo; and in 1740 went to Rome, where he was patronized by Cardinal York. After having composed several works at Rome and at Bologna, he returned to Naples, where his opera of Eumene was received with great favour. During his residence at Bologna, he had studied church-music under Padre Martini. In 1745 he visited Vienna, and there formed a lasting friendship with Metastasio. When he brought out at Venice his opera of Merope, it produced such an effect that the Council of Ten appointed him director of the conservatory for orphan girls. He there composed his first church-music, which was much admired. In 1748, having been called to Rome, he composed his opera of Artaserse; and, by the influence of Cardinal Albani, was next year made chapel-master of St Peter's in the Vatican. In 1754 he resigned that office, in order to occupy the place of chapel-master and court-composer to the Duke of Wurtemberg at Stuttgart. There he remained about eighteen years, and his style underwent a great change through the influence of the German music which he was constantly hearing. His modulation became more bold and varied, and his instrumentation more powerful. He wrote about thirty operas in Germany. When he returned to Naples in 1772, his Germanized style did not please his countrymen; and even his Armida, one of his finest operas, was not popular. His Demofonte, another fine work, was still less liked at Naples; and his Ifigenia, in 1773, was ill-performed, and failed completely. He was then attacked by apoplexy, but rallied, and his last composition was his admirable Miserere. He died at Naples on 28th August 1774. In the fourth volume of Dr Burney's History of Music, pp. 566-70, there is an account of Jomelli's funeral, and remarks on his works and character by his friend Saverio Mattei, the poet. Jomelli's known compositions are, — forty operas; five cantatas; four oratorios; thirty-four church compositions. (G. F. G.)
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