Giovanni Benedetto Platti

Platti was one of the many Italian musicians who left their native land in the late 17th and early 18th century and headed north, to the countries whose inhabitants admired the fashionable Italian music. Francesco Geminiani from Lucca had spent his apprentice years in Rome with Arcangelo Corelli and in Naples with Alessandro Scarlatti, and later flourished in London, Paris and Dublin. Pietro Locatelli from Bergamo, another Corelli disciple, made his home in Amsterdam after studies in Rome. Platti’s career resembled the roaming lives of those composers. At the beginning of 18th century, Italian musicians enjoyed great success at various European courts. These could be large, influential courts, such as those of the Saxon electors in Dresden, where Venetian composter Francesco Maria Veracini spent many years, for example.

In 1722 Platti left Italy along with a group of musicians led by Fortunato Chelleri. He settled in Würzburg, where he found work at the court of the Bishop Prince of Bamberg and Würzburg, and stayed there for the rest of his life. His career was closely tied to the family of the counts von Schönborn, the patrons and connoisseurs of arts. He served six prince-bishops as oboist, violone player, vocalist, singing and oboe teacher, and also composed from 1722 until his death in 1763. All of Platti's work demonstrates his intention to broaden the stylistic horizon of the time, starting from a quintessential Baroque foundation and evolving to touch in edge of Classicism. His style oscillates between two poles: Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi, but given the composer's training in Venice, the latter's influence is, logically, more pronounced.

Early life in Venice, 1697 - 1715

Platti’s previous life is virtually unknown, and even his date of birth is disputed. In all likelihood Giovanni Benedetto Platti was born on 9 July 1697, in Padua or the surrounding area. The slight doubt regarding both the date and the exact whereabouts is due to the lack of official records: a document regarding his christening, for instance. This shortage of documentary evidence suggested to Fausto Torrefranco, the scholar who rescued the Venetian composer from oblivion, that 1690 was more likely than 1700, despite the claim in his death certificate that he died in Würzburg on 11 January 1763, at the age of sixty-four.

Platti spent his childhood years in Venice, but relatively little is known about Platti’s life and studies through to 1722. Apart from Francesco Gasparini, the “expert masters of sound” with whom he studied may have included eminent older contemporaries: Tomaso Albinoni, Antonio Vivaldi, Antonio Lotti, Alessandro and Benedetto Marcello were all active in Venice at the time. However, the most likely hypothesis is that he actually studied under his father, Carlo, who played the violetta in the instrumental ensemble at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

Giovanni, or “Zuane” in the Venetian dialect, was a member of the musicians’ guild (Arte di sonadori). We do not know for certain whose apprentice he was, though composer Francesco Gasparini (1661 - 1727) could have easily been his mentor. The only two extant documents pertaining to Platti’s activity in Venice were unearthed by chance by Eleanor Selfridge-Field and Michael Talbot. From them we learn that in 1715 he was a member of the Arte dei sonadori, the guild he joined at the beginning of 1711.


Würzburg, The House of Schönborn, 1722

Great support for the musical life of Würzburg was provided by three prince-bishops: Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn, Friedrich Carl von Schönborn, and Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim. For the three music loving prince-bishops, development of promising talents was very important. Several brothers from Schönborn family (The House of Schönborn) chose ecclesiastical careers. Two of them at different times served as Prince-archbishops of Würzburg (hence managed the Kapelle where Platti worked). Another brother, Count Rudolf Franz Erwein (1677–1754), contrary to the family’s expectations, declined the priestly vocation. This man, an amateur cellist and ardent lover of music, constantly on the search for new compositions, assembled an impressive collection of sheet music and played a crucial role in Platti’s life and in the future destiny of his works.

In 1719 the newly appointed Prince-archbishop of Würzburg (today in state of Bavaria, Germany) Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn, wanted to establish a court Kapelle. His crowning achievement was the arrival, at his behest, of the “new Italian people” in the spring of 1722. The new arrivals were the Kapellmeister Fortunato Chelleri, singer Girolamo Bassani and, among the other Italian virtuosi, the “oboista” Giovanni Benedetto Platti. These “magnificent musicians and consummate, say the least of it, virtuosi” were greeted with enthusiasm.

The prince-archbishop who had originally invited Platti, Rudolf Franz Erwein’s brother, suddenly died two years after the Italian’s arrival in Würzburg. His successor, prone to asceticism and reluctant to patronize the muses, dramatically cut the orchestra’s allowance. Many of Platti’s colleagues went to try their luck in other cities, but he did not. Yet another reversal of fortune came about in 1729: the other Franz Rudolf Erwein’s brother, Friedrich Karl von Schönborn, took the episcopal seat in Würzburg. He reviewed the situation and considerably broadened Platti’s work description – apart from his former duties, he now had to act as singer, violinist and teacher. The composer performed these ample tasks until the end of his life. Thanks to an entry in the court calendar, the exact date of Platti’s death is known to us: he died on January 11, 1763.

Life at the Würzburg court and connection with Rudolf Franz Erwein

Rudolf Franz Erwein’s musical tastes took shape in Italy, where he studied the cello – primarily in Rome, where he lived for several years from 1693 (like his brothers, he was sent there to be schooled). Apparently, he met Corelli there, as Corelli sends his regards to the von Schönborn family in one of his letters from 1709. Living in Rome or staying there on his way from Germany and back, the young Count von Schönborn several times used the chance to listen to “good Italian music” (“guete welsche Music”). It was during his Roman studies that he started collecting sheet music, either through buying prints (which he proudly adorned with his bookplate) or through ordering handwritten copies.

His betrothal to a young widow, Countess Eleonore von Dernbach from Wiesentheid, predetermined his future secular career. He settled at the Wiesentheid residence, not far from Würzburg, at the foot of the Steigerwald. Music was a passion of his, and his brothers shared this sentiment. Having learned that the Italians came to Würzburg through the efforts of his Prince-archbishop brother, the Count naturally became curious and wanted to hear them. The musicians visited Wiesentheid, and Rudolf Franz Erwein later wrote with touching gratitude: “I am especially indebted to you for directing the Kapellmeister and other virtuosi maintained at Your Grace’s court to lay their route through our domain. Those virtuosi displayed skills above all praise and presented themselves as men of uncommon merit, which made the improviso all the more pleasurable to myself.” Apparently, such visits were since repeated.

Platti would seem to have been a sort of factotum at court: he prepared the singers, but also sang himself, as well as playing various instruments, including the violin, cello, oboe and harpsichord. He was also a refined, eclectic composer, writing vocal and instrumental music for violin, cello, oboe, flute and harpsichord. The only extant letter in the composer’s hand reveals him to have been professionally highly reliable. It was written on 4 December 1729 and addressed to Rudolf Franz Erwein, a gentleman of Wiesentheid who had requested two oboists who could also play other instruments: “...I have found two appropriate subjects... and with my instruction hope within the space of two years to train them so that they can serve Your Eminence. With this in mind I will give them lessons every day, and will not allow them to apply themselves to anything other than music, which will be their daylong exercise, just as it is in Italy for those wishing to achieve success in music”. In just few lines we know what Platti intended by studying music: constant devotion to learning all day and every day, with no distraction.

We may have a glimpse of the court musicians as seen at the The Tiepolo ceiling fresco in the main staircase of the Würzburg Residence which is the largest continuous ceiling fresco in the world, measuring almost 700 m². Circled in blue, musicians are active behind architect Balthasar Neumann (as representative of art, at the bottom), including the court composer and violinist Giovanni Benedetto Platti (left with violin) and his wife, the singer Theresia Platti (at the right):

Wiesentheid manuscript collection

Giovanni Benedetto Platti enjoyed Rudolf Franz’s special favour. He took care with the musician’s works, and thanks to him Platti’s manuscripts were preserved in abundance in the Wiesentheid collection. Small wonder Platti pays so much attention to the Count’s instrument of preference, the cello, in his compositions. Platti wrote two volumes of sonatas for cello and continuo (six cycles in each), twenty-eight concertos with cello obbligato, four ricercares (duos for violin and cello), and many other compositions. Plati also wrote nineteen trio sonatas, in which he defied tradition and gave one of the high solo parts to the cello instead of violin or flute as was the custom. When in 1730 Rudolf Franz Erwein built a new parish church in his manor and devoted himself to soliciting church music for it, it was Platti who wrote a Mass for him, and, later, many other church compositions as well (including a Requiem and a Stabat mater). Sheet music from the Wiesentheid collection continues to yield previously unnoticed traces of Platti’s editorship. When Rudolf Franz Erwein decided to try his hand at composing, Platti masterfully reworked and finished the Count’s Miserere.

Unfortunately, the fruitful relationship of that unique person with Giovanni Benedetto Platti lasted not very long; there is no evidence to confirm the composer’s later visits to Wiesentheid after 1730. In the meanwhile Rudolf Franz purchased new compositions and rearranged his existing collection. An avid amateur of modern music, the count familiarized himself with the works written at the Viennese court, where he used to travel on business. His music collection grew by various sources, and its significance is enormous. Its oldest part – 150 prints and about 500 manuscripts, many of them unique – contains compositions of both well-known and presently almost forgotten composers and allows us to have a glimpse of 50 years of 18th-century music through the eyes of a contemporary, a Frankish count. A hundred years ago the library of counts von Schönborn-Wiesentheid was returned to the residence where Rudolf Franz Erwein had started it. Platti’s works are now kept in the libraries of Berlin, Dresden and Munich, even though the musician’s life was not connected with these cities. Of special importance is the Wiesentheid collection numbering over sixty of his works – mainly original manuscripts, but also some copies.

Personal life

It was in Würzburg on 4 February 1723 that he married Maria Theresia Lambrucker, a soprano singer engaged at the same court. Giovanni Benedetto Platti and Maria Theresia had eight children, some of whom may also have been musicians and/or composers. However, no documentary evidence exists, just as there are no surviving compositions by them. Platti almost certainly continued in his employment in Germany, only moving from the Würzburg court to the Wiesentheid residence as required.

End of life, burial in the cemetery of the Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul

The composer died in Wüzburg on 11 January 1763, and two days later was buried in the Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the resting place of court employees. Originally a Romanesque church, a church has stood on site for centuries and it was replaced in the middle ages by a Gothic structure. Then in the early 1700's a Baroque church was built. That stood until the evening of March 16, 1946 when the British fire-bomb attack on Würzburg killed 5000 civilians and destroyed the old town including St. Peter and Paul church. Church was rebuilt in 1953/54 faithfully reproducing the exquisite Baroque exterior.

From ancient times, the space around Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul served as a cemetery and many deceased employees of the Wüzburg court residence including the court musicians were buried there. Well-off people were buried usually inside the church (in the nave side pits) until the late 18th century. Platti was buried somewhere at the north side space of the church, as seen on 1723 Würzburg map by publisher Homan (circled in blue), but today this space is used as church parking place:

Works

Due to a United States and United Kingdom large-scale air attack and dropping incendiary bombs, on the city of Würzburg on March 16, 1945, an estimated 5,000 civilians has been killed and almost 90% of the buildings were destroyed by a raid that lasted less than 20 minutes. All of the city's churches, the cathedral, and other monuments were destroyed. The city center, which mostly dated from medieval times, was destroyed in a firestorm. Among the destroyed monuments were the Würzburg Cathedral and Würzburg Residence. In Würzburg, where Platti spent 40 years, not a single line is known to have survived. Among the lost works are some oratorios we only know about thanks to the printed copies of libretti (where Platti is mentioned as the author of music).

It seems strange that Platti, the court virtuoso oboist, only wrote one concerto for his instrument, and even that in his early years, so that it was preserved in Wiesentheid. Twenty-eight Wiesentheid cello concertos clearly indicate the composer’s interest in the genre; but for some reason he gives the solo part to oboe (and violin) just once. Probably the pieces he had written for his instrument were not found.

The cello plays a significant role in Platti’s extant compositions, which thus suggests that it was his favourite instrument. In the library of Counts Schönborn and Wiesentheid there are 25 Concerti con violoncello obbligato, 12 Concerti per violoncello concertato and 12 Sonate a tre (largely for violin, cello and basso continuo). Apart from the Ricercate, this remarkable heritage has only recently become a focus of interest for ensembles and soloists. The twelve Sonate per violoncello solo con basso continuo are divided into two groups of six, both dated 1725. The first six in the Wiesentheid catalogue are distinctly baroque in style and were probably written earlier than the others. Indeed, Torrefranca has suggested that they might date back to the years when Platti was still in Italy. Certainly they are simpler in structure and more linear that the other six, which are more complex compositions. By the same token, however, Platti may have composed them for an amateur cellist in court circles, including Count Schönborn himself. That said, they are not lacking in lyricism in the slow movements and technical difficulties in the fast passages. Moreover, they certainly reflect Platti’s particular fondness for the cello.

On the title pages of the Nürnberg editions of his works, Platti calls himself Musicien de la chambre or Virtuoso di camera, the “court musician” of the Würzburg Prince-archbishop. The 19th century saw Platti as “an industrious composer of pleasing instrumental music, a diligent violin and oboe virtuoso” (Encyklopedie der gesammten musikalischen Wissenschaften, Stuttgart, 1837). Platti the man himself, with the years dividing us from his era, has become not less but more discernible. Today, the interest in period performance brings us to such sources which were previously overlooked or neglected. In the 21st century, our acquaintance with Platti is just beginning – and it promises to be a moving and fascinating one.

Video

Platti was focused on Count’s instrument of preference such as cello, in his compositions. Anthology of Platti's compositions include sonatas for cello and continuo (six cycles in each), twenty-eight concertos with cello obbligato (tracks: 7-9 in video below), four duos for violin and cello and many other works. Platti also wrote nineteen trio sonatas (tracks: 13-16 in video below), in which he defied tradition and gave one of the high solo parts to the cello instead of violin or flute as was the custom. It seems strange that Platti, the court virtuoso oboist, only wrote one concerto for his instrument (tracks: 1-3 in video below), and it was in his early court years. Manuscript was preserved in Wiesentheid residence (not far from Würzburg residence).

References:
1. Annotated Membership Lists of the Venetian Instrumentalists' Guild, 1672-1727 by Eleanor Selfridge-Field
2. Karl-Heinz Albert und Rudolf Edwin Kuhn: St. Peter und Paul, Würzburg. Hrsg.: Pfarrei St. Peter und Paul, Würzburg ca. 1982
3. Klaus Hinrich Stahmer: Musik in der Residenz. Würzburger Hofmusik, Stürtz-Verlag, Würzburg 1983