!!!Gluck, Christoph Willibald

Gluck, Christoph Willibald, b. Erasbach in der Oberpfalz (Germany), July 2, 1714, 
d. Vienna, Nov. 15, 1787 (called himself "Ritter Gluck" - literally 
Knight or Sir Christoph W. Gluck - after being awarded the papal Order 
of the Golden Spur), composer and opera reformer. Studied in Italy 
(among others under G. Sammartini in Milan), in 1741 debut as opera 
composer in Milan, in 1745/46 stay in London. First assignment for the 
Vienna Imperial Court in 1748 ("Semiramide riconosciuta" for Empress 
Maria Theresa's birthday and the opening ceremony of the reconstructed 
Burgtheater). Ended his years of travel by settling in Vienna in 1750; 
employed as musical director by the Prince of Saxony-Hildburghausen 
(until 1761) and from 1754-1764 musical director of the court 
theatres.

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In his innovatory works ("Orfeo", both "Iphigenie" operas and 
"Alceste") G. attempted to overcome the rigid concept of the 
Metastasian opera (recitative = action, Aria = presentation of 
feelings) and tried to make the music subordinate to the text, to 
create a better flow of action in opera. Most of Gluck's 47 great 
operas, however, are composed according to Metastasio's scheme. On 
account of Prince Kaunitz's francophile theatre policies and G.'s long 
stay in Paris (from 1773-1775) many of G's works were written in 
French, esp. the "reform operas" "Iphigenie en Aulide", "Orphee et 
Eurydice" and "Alceste" as well as "Armide" and numerous works of 
opera comique. The contrast between G.'s French reform operas and the 
new Italian direction, represented by N. Piccini, erupted into a 
conflict which became known as the "buffoons' debate".

!Works
47 dramatic works, songs (7 Klopstock Odes), ballets (Don Juan, 
Alessandro, exact number unknown), 2 trio sonatas, overtures, De 
profundis. - Edition: Saemtl. Werke, commissioned by the Institute 
fuer Musikforschung, 1951 ff.

!Literature
K. Hortschansky, Parodie und Entlehnung im Schaffen 
C. W. G., 1973; A. Einstein, C. W. G., 1987; N. de 
Palezieux, C. W. G., 1988; G. Buschmeier, Die Entwicklung 
von Arie und Szene in der franz. Oper von G. bis Spontini, 1991; P. 
Howard, G., 1995.



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