Marianna Martines’ cantata Il Primo Amore


This March, the Daily Classical Music Post will introduce you to some of the most wonderful music ever composed—and, yes, it will all be by women composers!

https://youtu.be/phD13CLYGug


The Austrian composer Marianna Martines (1744–1812) was encouraged by her family in her musical pursuits. Her father, the Spanish envoy to the Esterhazy court, was friends with the poet Metastasio, who realized Marianna’s talent and was able to help her in pretty extraordinary ways.


The Martines family lived in a building with some other people connected with the Esterházy family. One of the other residents was Nicola Porpora, the singing teacher and composer. In the cold and leaky attic, a struggling young composer named Joseph Haydn was just beginning his career. Metastasio arranged for Marianna to take lessons with Haydn and Porpora, all before she was 10 years old. Unusually for the time, Marianna also had a proper general education, and could speak several languages. Marianna showed a talent for composition, so Metastasio arranged for her to have lessons with Johann Adolph Hasse and Giuseppe Bonno.


There is a letter by Martines, dated 1773, in which she talks about her early life and studies: "I was born in the year 1744 on the 4th day of May. In my seventh year they began to introduce me to the study of music, for which they believed me inclined by nature. Its rudiments were taught me by Signor Giuseppe Haydn, now Maestro di Cappella to Prince Esterhazy. . . . But in all my studies, the chief planner and director was always, and still is, Signor Metastasio, who, with the paternal care he takes of me and all of my numerous family, renders an exemplary return for the incorruptible friendship and tireless support which my good father lent him up until the very last days of his life."


Marianna’s output was varied: secular cantatas, oriatorios, masses, motets, and instrumental music. Of course, for the secular works, the texts were by Metastasio.


My classical music post for today is Marianna Martines’ cantata Il Primo Amore.

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