A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Leo, Leonardo
LEO, Leonardo, one of the most celebrated of Neapolitan composers, was born in 1694 at San Vito degli Schiavi, in the kingdom of Naples. His musical studies were pursued at the Conservatorio of la Pietà de' Turchini, in Naples, under Alessandro Scarlatti and Fago (Il Tarentino); besides which it is said (in a notice of his life by Girolamo Chigi, chapel-master of St. John Lateran) that he learned counterpoint of Pitoni, at Rome. After his return to Naples he was appointed second master in the Conservatorio of la Pietà; in 1716 was named organist of the royal chapel, and the following year was elected to the post of chapel-master in the church of Santa Maria della Solitaria. His first serious opera, 'Sofonisbe,' was produced in 1719, and met with great success. Not many years after this he quitted the Conservatorio of la Pietà for that of San Onofrio, to which he remained attached till the end of his life. He was perhaps the most eminent professor of his time, and the list of his pupils includes many distinguished composers, among whom may especially be named Jommelli and Piccinni. But he was not satisfied, as was Durante his contemporary, with the rôle of a pedagogue. 'Sofonisbe' was succeeded by nearly fifty other operas and dramatic cantatas, conspicuous among which is 'Demofoonte,' in which the great singer Caffarelli made his first appearance, and which contains an air, Misero Pargoletto, quoted by Piccinni, in a short biographical sketch of his master, as pre-eminent among all Leo's compositions for beauty and dramatic expression. Mention should also be made of 'L'Olimpiade,' two pieces in which acquired a lasting popularity—the duet 'Ne' giorni tuoi felici,' and the air 'Non so donde viene,' both remarkable for melodious charm.
His compositions for the church are very numerous, amounting to nearly a hundred. The chief of these are, the oratorio 'Santa Elena al Calvario'; the 'Ave maris stella,' for a soprano voice, two violins, viola, and organ; the Mass in D for five voices, written for the church of San Giacomo degli Spani at Rome; and the 'Miserere' for a double choir of eight voices. This celebrated Miserere was composed in 1743, and was the work of a few days. It was written for the Duke of Savoy, who on hearing it, was so delighted as to heap presents upon the composer, granting him at the same time a pension of a hundred ounces of silver. Leo was overpowered by this munificence, and regarded his acceptance of it as tantamount to a renunciation of all property in his own work, so that when, on his return to Naples from Turin, his pupils petitioned for a copy of the score, he thought himself bound in honour to refuse them. One of them however, having found out where the manuscript was kept, contrived to possess himself of it; he divided it among his companions, and, between them all, it was so speedily copied as to be restored to its place before Leo had had time to perceive its absence. It was rehearsed in secret, and in a few days the students invited the unsuspecting maestro to hear the performance of a new work, when to his astonishment his own 'Miserere' was executed in his presence. His first impulse was one of resentment, but this feeling quickly gave way to emotion aroused by the enthusiasm of the young students, and the end of it was that he caused them to repeat the entire piece, so that he might himself add the finishing touches to their performance.
He did not long enjoy his pension. The Marquis de Villarosa, to whose reminiscences of the Neapolitan composers subsequent biographers are indebted for many interesting details, says that he was engaged in writing the opera 'La finta Frascatana' when he was struck down by apoplexy. He was found with his head resting on his clavichord, the score before him open at the buffo air 'Voi par che gite.' He was apparently asleep, but he was dead. This was in 1746.
In the bright constellation of Neapolitan composers Leo shines as a brilliant star. To a complete command of science and of the art of vocal writing he united freshness and originality of thought, and perhaps in no composer are the germs of modern fancy so happily blent with the purity and dignity of the old Roman writers. His ideas, if not sublime, are noble; always sound and healthy; occasionally tender, but with no tinge of sentimentality. They did not transcend the limits of contemporary form; his art was therefore adequate to give them that perfect expression which is in itself beautiful. It is impossible not to feel in all his music the master's joy in his power over his materials; and the satisfaction afforded by a study of his works is mainly based on a perception of this even balance between thought and expression, showing as it does, the extent, while it defines the limits, of his sphere as a composer. He was not tormented, like his pupil Jommelli, by the unequal conflict between prophetic glimpses of new phases of art, far beyond the power of his own limited genius to grasp or realise, and a science too superficial to do justice to ancient forms. What Leo thought, he could express.
By his tonality he belongs essentially to the moderns. His harmonies are for the most part lucid and simple, yet there is a certain unconventionality in their treatment, while occasionally (as may be seen in the 'Miserere') chromatic progressions occur, quite startling in their effect. That his simplicity was the result of consummate art is shown by the purity of his part-writing. The Chorus of Pilgrims, 'Di quanta pena è frutta,' from the oratorio of 'Santa Elena al Calvario' is a good instance of a pleasing idea absolutely inseparable from contrapuntal form; shapely and coherent as a whole, it must be unravelled before the closeness and complexity of its texture can be appreciated. His fugues are compact and massive, and full of contrivance which is always subordinated to unity of effect. It is only necessary to compare the contrapuntal movement which forms a Coda to the double-fugued 'Amen' chorus in Leo's 'Sicut erat,' from the 'Dixit' in D (see 'Fitzwilliam Music'), with the fugue on the 'Osanna' in Jommelli's Requiem, the subjects in which are very similar—to see how the science which to one man was an implement or a weapon, in the hand of the other was no more than a crutch.
Besides his larger works, Leo left a great number of instrumental compositions; concertos, fugues, toccatas; several isolated vocal airs with orchestral accompaniment; vocal duets and trios; finally, six books of solfeggi and two of partimenti or figured basses, for the use of the students of San Onofrio.
In person he was of middle height, with a bronzed complexion, keen eye and ardent temperament. His activity and industry were indefatigable; he was wont to pass great part of the night in work, and his energies never seemed to flag. Although uniformly genial and urbane, the prevailing tone of his mind was serious. He appreciated his own music, and loved it, but he was ever ready to perceive merit in others, and to do full justice to the compositions of his rivals. An enthusiast in every branch of his art, he was not only a great composer and a great teacher, but an excellent organist and a virtuoso on the violoncello, being indeed one of the first musicians to introduce this instrument into Italy. His powers of mind remained undiminished to the end, and he died in harness, universally regretted and long remembered.
The following compositions of Leo are published, and accessible.
110th Psalm (Dixit Dominus), for SS. A T. B., with solos. Halle (Kümmel).
Do. for S., T., B., with Orchestra. Berlin (Trautwein & Co.).
50th Psalm (Miserere), SS., AA., TT., BB. Berlin (B. Bock). The same, edited by Choron (Paris, Leduc).
Others, and portions of others, are included in 'Cecilia,' a monthly periodical of church music, ancient and modern, by E. and R. van Maldeghem (Brussels, Heusner), in Latrobe's Sacred Music, and Rochlitz's 'Collection.' A Dixit Dominus for 8 voices and orchestra has been edited (1879) bv Mr C. V. Stanford from the autograph in the Fitzwilliam Library (Novello). Copious extracts from this and others are printed in Novello's 'Fitzwilliam Music' [see vol. i. pp. 530, 531 ].