Giovanni Battista Gervasio Explained

Giovanni Battista Gervasio (c. 1725 - c. 1785) was an Italian musician and composer. Born in Naples he was one of the first generation of virtuoso-mandolinists who left Italy and played the mandolin in Europe in the 18th century.^[1] He was a composer for the mandolin and his works can be found scattered in 18th century collections such as the Gimo music collection and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.^{[2] [3]} He also wrote a mandolin method Methode facile pour apprendre a quatre cordes, instrument pour les dames (Easy method for learning four-string instruments for ladies), published in Paris in 1767.^[4] He performed in London 1768 and in Frankfurt-on-the-Main on December 10, 1777, and the Concert Spirituel in Paris on December 24, 1784 .^{[1] [4]} He advertised in 1785 that he was master of singing and mandolin to Her Royal Highess, the Princess of Prussia.^[4] A work of music addressed to her exists today in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.^[2]

Gervasio advertised his teaching services in Grenoble in 1785.^[4] As the last known advertisement for him, it has been proposed that he settled and later died there.^[4]

Works

Gimo collection

Works in the Gimo collection were collected by a Swedish man, Jean Lefebure, "in the first half of 1762" in Italy.^[3] They were hand-copied commercial products.^[3]

• Mandolin Sonata in C major (Sonata Per Camera di Mandolino e Basso), mandolin and bass (Gimo 141)^{[3] [5]}
• Mandolin Sonata in D major (Sonata Per Camera di Mandolino e Basso ), mandolin and bass (Gimo 142)(Gimo 143)^{[3] [5]}
• Mandolin Sonata in D major (Sonata Per Camera di Mandolino e Basso), mandolin and bass (Gimo 144)^{[3] [5]}
• Mandolin Sonata in G major (Sonata per Mandolino e Basso), mandolin and bass (Gimo 145)(Gimo 146)^{[3] [5]}
• Duet in E-flat major for Two Mandolins (Duetto à Due Mandolini) (Gimo 147)^{[3] [5]}
• Trio Sonata in D Major (Trio Sonata per Camera di Mandolino è Basso) (Gimo 149)^{[3] [6]}
• Trio in D major (Trio a Due Mandolini e Basso), 2 mandolins and bass (Gimo 150)^{[3] [5]}

Other collections

• Sonata for Mandolin, bass. No. 1. D major, (kept Bibliothèque Nationale de France)^[2] This is in two parts; possibly the same work that Konrad Wölki called Two sonatas four mandolin and bass and said was "held in Paris."^[1]
• Six duets for two mandolins^[1]
• Airs for the mandolin, guitar, violin or German flute interspersed with songs^[1]
• two sonatas for mandolin and bass^[1]

Gallery

The Sonata for mandolin, bass. No. 1. D major by Giovai Battista Gervasio (from Naples), given to a Prussian princess. The work was labeled "for fun and chamber study" on the title page.

Recordings

• 2011. Aonzo / Buttiero recordings. Il mandolino italiano nel settecento, Carlo Aonzo, Elena Buttiero^[7]
• 2016. Centaur Records. Gimo-Samling: 18th Century Sonatas & Trio Sonatas for Mandolin, played by Duo Acquavella.^[8]

External

• Public domain sheet music for Gervasio

References

• Book: Sparks, Paul. 2003. The Classical Mandolin. Oxford. Oxford University Press. 9780195173376.

Notes and References

1. Book: Wölki, Konrad . Harris. Keith . 1984 . Geschichte der Mandoline . History of the Mandolin . en. Arlington, Virginia. Plucked String . 10 .
2. Web site: PartitionSonata per // Mandolino e Basso // Composta per Divertimento e Studio ... Gervasio, Giovanni Battista (1725-1785. . gallica.bnf.fr . 2 May 2019 .
3. Web site: The Gimo Music Collection . Sandberg . Erik . mutopiaproject.org . 2 May 2018 .
4. Web site: Giovanni Battista GERVASIO (1725-1785) . joachim . 19 August 2006. musiqueclassique.forumpro.fr. 2 May 2019 .
5. Web site: Giovanni Battista Gervasio (ca.1725 — ca.1785). . imslp.org. 2 May 2019.
6. Web site: Trio Sonata in D major (Gervasio, Giovanni Battista). . imslp.org. 2 May 2019.
7. Web site: Il mandolino italiano nel settecento. . 14 June 2019. [Last three tracks on album:] Sonata in Re maggiore, allegro. Sonata in Re maggiore, largo amoroso. Sonata in Re maggiore, taice alla tedesca.
8. Web site: Gimo-Samling: 18th Century Sonatas & Trio Sonatas for Mandolin. . 14 June 2019 . [Tracks 4-6 and 10-18 are by Gervasio:] (4-6) Sinfonia for 2 Mandolins & Continuo, Gimo 149, (10-12) Sonata for Mandolin & Continuo, Gimo 141, (13-15) Trio for 2 Mandolins & Continuo, Gimo 150, (16-18) Sonata per camera, Gimo 143..