Giovanni Benedetto Platti: Antologia 1724-1754

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. Preferred training locations were the court of Mannheim and Italy – more precisely Padua, Venetia and Rome. In Rome favoured vocal teachers were Giovanni Carestini and Giovanni B. Ferrandini both of whom had close ties with Munich the city that under the regency of the Bavarian electors, was an important centre of Baroque life.

There were, of course, also musicians who travelled in the opposite direction, from Italy to Würzburg. In the spring of 1722, the new arrivals were 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, as mentioned in the court letters.

The most influential among these was Giovanni Benedetto Platti, who was the only Italian to remain in Würzburg until his death. 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.

Concerto for Oboe, Strings and Continuo in G minor, c.1724
00:00:00 1. I Allegro, Oboe, G min
00:03:58 2. II Largo, Oboe, G min
00:08:37 3. III Allegro, Oboe, G min

Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in C minor, D-WD 669, 1726
00:12:29 4. I Adagio e Staccato. Allegro, Cello, C min
00:17:00 5. II Largo, Cello, C min
00:21:07 6. III Presto, Cello, C min

Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in G minor, 1748
00:25:29 7. I Allegro, Cello, G min
00:29:51 8. II Adagio, Cello, G min
00:33:21 9. III Allegro assai, Cello, G min

Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in D minor, D-WD 657, c.1726
00:37:08 10. I Non tanto allegro, Cello, D min
00:42:02 11. II Adagio, Cello, D min
00:46:27 12. III Alla breve. Fuga, Cello, D min

Trio Sonata in G minor (1754)
00:51:09 13. I Adagio, Trio S, G min
00:53:58 14. II Allegro, Trio S, G min
00:57:40 15. III Adagio, Trio S, G min
01:00:14 16. IV Allegro, Trio S, G min

Giovanni Benedetto Platti was born in or near Padua on July 9th 1697, but exact date is still questionable. He spent his childhood years in Venice. His father Carlo played viola at the St.Mark’s cathedral. We do not know for certain whose apprentice he was, though Francesco Gasparini could have easily been his mentor.

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. Geminiani from Lucca had spent his apprentice years in Rome with Corelli and in Naples with A. Scarlatti, and later flourished in Paris and Dublin. Locatelli from Bergamo, another Corelli disciple, made his home in Amsterdam after studies in Rome. Caldara’s Venetian style was refined to embrace galant modes of expression and he was called to Vienna to serve as vice-Kapellmeister. Chelleri was favourite music composition teacher for Würzburg musicians and later was engaged as Hofkapellmeister there. Platti’s career resembled the roaming lives of all these composers.

Collection Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid:

Several brothers from this family chose ecclesiastical careers, but Count Rudolf Franz Erwein (1677–1754), contrary to the family’s expectations, declined the priestly vocation. He was an amateur cellist and ardent lover of music. Platti enjoyed Rudolf Franz’s special favour and he took care with the Würzburg musician’s works. Thanks to Count, Platti’s manuscripts were preserved in abundance in the Wiesentheid (D-WD) collection (tracks: 4-6 and 10-12).

Due to a British and US 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).

[RecordareDomineA]

On the cover of this video: "Fog in the valley" by Martin Zurek showing scenic view of Vicenza-Padova-Venezia (Veneto) area, connected by a scenic villages. Platti was born in this region and spent his childhood and first 22 years of his life in this area.

Performed by:
#1, 2, 3: City of London Sinfonia, Nicholas Ward - conductor, Antony Camden - oboe, Venue: St Pauls, Southgate, London
#4, 5, 6: Cappella Gabetta, Sol Gabetta - violoncello, Andrés Gabetta - violin, direction
#7, 8, 9: Prаtum Intеgrum, PaveI Servin - cello
#10, 11, 12: Ensemble Cordia, Stefano Veggetti - conductor
#13, 14, 15, 16: Ensemble Epoca Barocca

Other languages:

[FabioAmaralDiFini-ft]

Que compositor gigantesco é Giovanni Benedetto Platti . Percebe-se neste vídeo um tocador de oboé fantástico. Ouvir Platti pode modificar o humor, pois após começar sua música há uma mudança sensível no ânimo e sente-se uma completa modificação na disposição e uma grande felicidade no coração. Eu me tornei um grande fã de Platti e, agora, ele está permanentemente na minha discoteca. Muitíssimos agradecimentos por essa maravilhosa produção.🥰❤🎷🎹🎺🎻

[jackhana]

Ok….if your name ends in I or E or A, you will probably pass my LIKE test. This music is superb. Thx

[MegaCirse]

This music unfolds like a picture book full of stars, where birds come chirping, spinning farandoles, cracking rattles and dancing wizards. From rounds to nursery rhymes, the arrangements display their mystery and instruments have the roundness and brilliance of chimes 🌺

[ramonesteve]

Magnífic, no el coneixia i és una meravella!

[reneboland]

Merci pour cette merveilleuse et charmante musique baroque ! Dommage que ce compositeur est si peu connu du grand public !

[composeratlarge]

Magnificent. Dazzling and vibrant concerti. Thank you so much for sharing Platti with us.

[mereyeslacalle]

Platti nació en Padova, en 1697. Otro grande que nos regala la otrora Región de Venecia . Compositores y músicos barrocos italianos . Los adoro !! ❤️🎶👏

[hannawagenknecht]

This music is magnificent, charming-- and so on😌🌹

[dmitriypismenyuk]

Such an elegant beauty, exquisite performance as well. Mille Grazie

[excelsior]

Sincere thanks to the aptly named RECORDARE DOMINE for giving us the opportunity not just to hear but to experince this absolutely sublime music. I would say that for those sensitive listeners who are attuned to receive it, Giovanni Benedetto Platti's "ANATOLIA" has the power to give us imperfect and beleaguered Humans, (all of us carrying our own crosses as best we can) a much welcome and all too short respite from "the Hurtful Misery of this world, " as St. Vincent Ferrer described it.

[shin-i-chikozima]

Thi wonderful performance cheers me up a lot

[paris]

I've never heard about this composer before. Thank you very much!

[raffitorossian]

wow...what a super giant composer is Platti. there was a super giant oboe player as well in this video. When i was listening to him, i was never in my mood, but after beginning to his music, i was completely changed and there was a full happiness in my heart. Since then, i became one of his fans, and now he has been in my ''favorite composers'' list. Million thanks for uploading.

[mariposasardegna]

Grazie, ci fatte scoprire delle perle!👏Siete grandi appassionati di musica!🌟♥️

[manuelinopampa]

Platti hace cantar el alma, exquisita ejecución y muchas gracias por publicar su obra!!!!🎉

[tšanchezt]

There are no words to describe these wonderful and impressive concerts. Thanks a lot for sharing.

[ReformedCrusader]

This channel is great for discovering music from composers I know less about!

[Laurencemardon]

Thank you so much: this is wonderful.. Cheers from Canada.

[Ganpignanus]

lovely, relaxing and great for study music. thank you.