Dall'Abaco and his Music

Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco (1675-1742) is one of those personalities that were born in Verona and whose art returned prestige to the city. He was a famous composer in the European music environment. After his studies on violin and cello, and after having built a strong musical talent, he dedicated his career at the court of prince Maximillian Emanuele II, in Monaco (Germany) and then in the Netherlands. Furthermore, since 1717 he became prince Maximillian’s counsellor, following him in all Europe, from Bruxelles to Versailles, and to Luxembourg. He had a child, Josef Clemens (1710) that was musician too. He was an appreciated cellist and composer, mostly famous in his time for his soloists’ operas. Nowadays there is still a large number of sonata for two or three cellos, but also symphonies for four cellos. Josef Clemens was an excellent performer of dramatic “Baroque”, and also forerunner of the more sentimental “Rococo”. Josef Clemens was an artist playing an important role in this transitional period. In the middle of 18th century he decided to live a more quiet life, retiring in Arbizzano (where today the Azienda Agricola Dall’Abaco Fedrigoni is set). Here he continued to dedicate himself to music and in 1766 obtained the title of “Baron” from Maximillian III Josef of Baviera. The title was also confirmed by the government of Serenissima. He died in Arbizzano in 1805 (August, the 31st) and was buried in the church of the village. Dall’Abaco history in Valpolicella ended with Josef, the son of Josef Clemens, at the end of the 19th century when the estate’s property passed to Fedrigoni family.

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