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Two hundred and fifty years ago, on January 15, 1775, Giovanni Battista Sammartini passed away in Milan due to pneumonia. He was a musician to whom “a place of honor in the history of music is reserved not for his qualities as an opera composer or sacred music composer, but for having first sketched the outline of the modern symphony.”[1]
Born 74 years earlier in Milan, Giovanni Battista Sammartini held various roles, including maestro di cappella—that is, the director of music—organist, conductor, and composer, all within the vibrant musical scene of the Ambrosian City. During his lifetime, he gained European fame, attracting musicians from different countries. The German composer and opera innovator Christoph Willibald Gluck († 1787), for example, studied with him for four years, absorbing the innovative stylistic features that significantly influenced his operatic writing. Even the Austrian composers Joseph Haydn († 1809) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart († 1791) were influenced by his symphonic style: Haydn through the works received from Prince Esterházy, and Mozart by listening to some of his symphonies in Milan on February 7, 1770, at a reception hosted by Count Carlo di Firmian († 1782), the governor-general of Lombardy, alongside the Bohemian composer Josef Mysliveček († 1781), who on that occasion called him the father of Haydn’s style.
The extensive catalog of Sammartini includes symphonies, concertos, chamber music, sacred music, theatrical works, oratorios, and cantatas. Today, we honor his musical legacy by focusing on one of his many sacred compositions, only a small portion of which has survived: the Magnificat in B-flat major, for SATB soloists and choir, 2 oboes, 2 trumpets, and strings. Composed around 1765, this work was performed annually at the Vespers on Passion Sunday (which prior to Vatican II was the 5th Sunday of Lent). It stands out for its extraordinary expressive richness, conveyed through a language endowed with characteristic originality. Sammartini adopted a unique approach in constructing the piece, adapting it to the needs of inspiration and transcending the limitations of style and genre. This work must have left a lasting impression on the young Mozart, on whom the influences of the Milanese musical environment are further evident when considering his youthful motet Exsultate, jubilate, K. 165, for soprano and orchestra, written during his third and final trip to Milan in January 1773.
The great poetry (Lk 1:46-55) that flows from the lips, indeed from the heart, of Mary, inspired by the Holy Spirit, becomes for Sammartini a beautiful, well-structured sound edifice that recalls the great religious works of the Neapolitan school as well as the early sacred scores of Haydn and Mozart. This work is divided into five sections. The first (Andante), Magnificat, in B-flat major, is brief and serves as an introduction, made spectacular by the interventions of the trumpets.
The three central sections are more elaborate and expansive. The second section (Spiritoso), Et exultavit, in E-flat major, is a lively rondo that stands out for its dynamism and contrasts. Here, the instrumental component plays a predominant role over the vocal part, creating a rich and varied dialogue between the orchestra and the voice, between the richly diverse orchestral writing and the polyphonic declamation of the choir.
The third section (Risoluto), Deposuit, is particularly intense and perhaps the most moving part of the entire Magnificat. This section is based on two contrasting themes that develop through a sequence of modulations: C minor, E-flat major, B-flat major, and G minor. The theme of deposuit is descending and filled with astonishment, while that of exaltavit is ascending and full of confidence. These two opposing emotional elements create a dramatic and engaging effect, highlighting Sammartini’s skill in masterfully handling musical emotions.
The fourth section (Largo), Gloria Patri, in E-flat major, features the solo voice of the alto, who performs an expressive cantabile. This segment highlights the beauty and expressiveness of the solo voice, perfectly integrating with the instrumental accompaniment. Throughout the Magnificat by the Milanese composer, the integration between voices and instruments is complete and harmonious, reflecting the characteristics of Sammartini’s concertante style. This style involves a balanced and dialogic interaction between the different sections of the orchestra and the vocal parts, creating a cohesive and sophisticated musical unity.
The final section (Spiritoso), Sicut erat,like the first, is concise and quite effective, serving as a farewell.
The name Giovanni Battista Sammartini evokes Milan and its music in all its nuances: from secular music, which drew the attention of great musicians like Mozart and Claudio Monteverdi († 1643), culminating in the international renown of the La Scala Theater, the Temple of Opera, to religious music,
whose imperishable title of honor took impulse, animation, and mystic inspiration from the immortal work of Ambrose, the great Bishop and Shepherd of Milan, who, even in this area of his pastoral concerns, left the imprint of genius and devoted himself with the fervor of a saint. Nor should we forget that the influence of religious music in Milan was warmly radiated over the centuries by the choirmasters of the cathedral, who were exquisitely attuned to the demands of European trends; nor the wise reform efforts of Saint Charles Borromeo.[2]
[1] A. Bustini, La sinfonia in Italia, Rome 1904, p. 32; our translation.
[2] Paul VI, Address at the Milan’s Music Conservatory, March 29, 1965; our translation.