A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Urio, Francesco
URIO, Francesco Antonio, a Milanese composer of the 17th and 18th centuries. The title of his first[1] published work, of which there is a copy in the Library of the Liceo Musicale of Bologna, is as follows:—
Motetti di Concerto a due, tre e quattro voci, con violini, e senza. Opera prima. Composti e Dedicati all' Eminentissimo e Reverendissimo Prencipe Il signor Cardinale Pietro Ottoboni … da Francesc' Antonio Urio da Milano Minore Conventuale, Maestro di Cappella nell' Insigne Basilica de' Santi Dodici Apostoli di Roma. In Eoma mdcxc nella Stamperia di Gio. Giacomo Komarek, Boemo, etc.
Between this date and that of his second work—also contained in the same Library—he had migrated from Rome to Venice, and was chapel-master of the church of the Frari.
Salmi concertati a' trè voci con Violini à beneplacito del Padre Francesco Antonio Urio Maestro di Cappella nella Chiesa dei Frari di Venetia. Opera Secouda dedicata all' Eccellenza del signer Don Filippo Antonio Spinola Colonna, Duca del Testo, Gentilhuomo della Camera di S. M. Cattolica, suo Generale della Cavalleria nello Stato di Milano, e Castellano del Castel Nuovo di Napoli, etc. In Bologna per Martino Silvani 1697, etc.
M. Arthur Pougin, in his Supplement to Fétis's Biographie, states that Urio wrote a Cantata di camera (1696), and two oratorios, 'Sansone' (1701) and 'Maddalena convertita' (1706) for Ferdinand de' Medicis, Prince of Tuscany; but neither the authority for the statement nor the place where the works are to be found can now be ascertained. A 'Tantum ergo' for soprano solo and figured bass is in the library of the Royal College of Music, London, No. 1744. Urio's most important known work, however, is a Te Deum for voices and orchestra, which owes its interest to us, not only for its own merits, which are considerable, but because Handel used it largely,[2] taking, as his custom was, themes and passages from it, principally for his Dettingen Te Deum (10 numbers), and also for 'Saul' (6 numbers), 'Israel in Egypt' (1 ditto), and 'L'Allegro' (1 ditto).
Of this work three MSS. are known to be in existence, (1) In the Library of the Royal College of Music, which is inscribed 'John Stafford Smith, a.d. 1780. Te Deum by Urio—Jesuit of Bologna. Apud 1682.' Over the Score: 'Te Deum. Urio. Con due Trombe, due Oboe, Violini & due Viole obligati & Fagotto a 5 Voci,' (2) In the British Museum (Add. MSS. 31,478), 'Te Deum Laudamus con due Trombe, due Oboe et Violini, et due[3] Viole obligati. Del Padre Frañco Uria (sic) Bolognese.' This title is followed by a note in ink, apparently in the handwriting of Dr. Thomas Bever, Fellow of All Souls, Oxford, and a collector of music in the last century:
This curious score was transcribed from an Italian Copy in the Collection of Dr. Samuel Howard, Mus. D., organist of St. Bride's and St. Clement's Danes. It formerly belonged to Mr. Handel, who has borrowed from hence several Verses in the Dettingen Te Deum, as well as some other passages in the Oratorio of Saul. T. B.
This copy was written by John Anderson, a Chorister Of St. Paul's 1781. Pri. 1l. 8s. 0d.
Above this in pencil, in another hand:
In the copy purchased by J. W. Callcott at the sale of Warren Home, the date is put at 1661.[4]
(3) The copy just mentioned as having been sold at Warren Home's sale came into the possession of M. Schoelcher (as stated in a note by Joseph Warren on the fly-leaf of No. 2), and is now in the Library of the Conservatoire at Paris. It is an oblong quarto, with no title-page, but bearing above the top line of the score on page 1, 'Te Deum, Urio, 1660.' The following notes are written on the fly-leaves of the volume.[5]
[Page 1.]Edm: T: Warren Horne.8. 13. 6.
N.B.—Mr. Handel was much indebted to this author, as plainly appears by his Dettingen Te Deum, likewise a Duett in Julius Cæsar, and a movement in Saul for Carillons, etc., etc., etc.
69 Dean Street, Soho Square.
There was another copy of this extremely rare and curious Composition in the Collection of Mr. Bartleman, at whose death it was purchased by Mr. Greatorex. At the sale of the musical Library of Mr. Greatorex the MS. was bought by Charles Hatchett, Esq., 9 Belle Vue House, Chelsea, in whose possession it still remains.
This copy was kindly given to me by Mrs. Stokes on the death of my beloved friend Charles Stokes in April 1839. V.N.
[Page 2.] Handel has borrowed these from Urio's Te Deum as they arise:
| Welcome, mighty King The Youth inspir'd The Lord is a man of war All the Earth To Thee Cherubin Also the Holy Ghost To Thee all angels Our fainting courage Battle Symphony Thou didst open Thou sittest at the right hand O fatal consequence of rage O Lord, in Thee We praise Thee And we worship Day by Day Sweet bird Retrieve the Hebrew name |
Saul. do. Israel in Egypt. Te Deum. do. do. do. Saul. do. Te Deum. do. Saul. Te Deum. do. do. do. Allegro. Saul |
I believe that this curious list is in the handwriting of Bartleman.[6]
The 'Italian copy,' which was first Handel's and then Dr. Howard's, if not that in the Royal College of Music (which is certainly in an Italian hand), has vanished for the present.
- ↑ I am indebted for this fact, unknown to Fétis, to the kindness of Cavaliere Castellani, Chief Librarian to the Biblioteca della R. Universita, at Bologna.
- ↑ First publicly mentioned by Crotch in his Lectures (see the list, p. 122, note), and then by V. Novello (Preface to Purcell. p. 9).
- ↑ In the score itself these are given as 'Violetta' (in alto clef) and 'Violetta tenore' (in tenor clef).
- ↑ More accurately 1660.
- ↑ I owe these notes to the kindness of my friend M. G. Chouquet, keeper of the Musée of the Conservatoire.
- ↑ This note appears to be in error, as Bartleman's copy is spoken of just before as being a distinct one from this.