Johann Christoph Schmidt (1712-1795) - Lesson V, Op.3 (c.1757)
Performers: Sibelius + Harpsichord samples (edited by Pau NG)
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German composer and organist mainly active in England. Smith arrived in
England in 1720, having been called to London by his father, who in turn
had immigrated there in 1716 to serve as George Frederick Handel’s
chief copyist and financial advisor. He received his musical education
from Johann Pepusch, Thomas Roseingrave, and probably Handel, serving
Handel as his private secretary after 1730. In 1733 he premiered his
first opera, Ulysses, which gave him a reputation as one of Handel’s
disciples. He eventually wrote three other opera serias: Dario, Il Ciro
rinconosciuto, and Issipile. In 1753, he took over conducting Handel’s
oratorio series when the elder composer was no longer able to do so,
eventually partnering with John Stanley after 1760. During this period
he also composed for Drury Lane Theatre three operas, two of which, The
Fairies (1755) and The Tempest (1756), were based upon Shakespeare.
David Garrick himself wrote the libretto for his last opera, The
Enchanter of 1760. Smith also served as the chief organist of the
Foundling Hospital, where many of the oratorios were performed. He
retired to Bath following the composition of a funeral service for the
Prince of Wales in 1772. Smith was one of the major composers of the
English oratorio; between 1760 and 1772 he wrote no fewer than seven,
beginning with Paradise Lost. The remainder consists of Tobit,
Jehoshaphat, Redemption, Nabal, Rebecca, and Gideon, the last three of
which are arrangements of music by Handel. He also published five
volumes of pieces for the keyboard (1732-1763). While this composer
influenced his use of counterpoint and vocal style, his style was much
more akin in his music to his colleague Thomas Arne.
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