Francesco Antonio Bonporti

An Italian composer who attempted to rise in the clergy by means of his compositions; he considered himself a priest first, a composer second. It is possible that he was taught by Corelli (violin) and Pitoni (sacred vocal music) but the evidence is too scarce to support this definitively. As a Baroque composer, Bonporti may have been the first to employ the word "Invention" to his works, and, this schema was probably adapted by Bach. Some works by Bonporti were attributed to Bach until a rather recent discovery in 1911. Bonparti's compositions include sonatas, arias, inventions, concertos and dances. Bonporti's import is signified by a number of phenomena. The virtuoso violinist Veracini included some of Bonporti's works in his repertoire. In melodic structures, Bonporti seems to have concentrated on lifting up and elborating melodic nuances. His parts were spirited and his harmonies came from the interstices of a unique mind. ~ Keith Johnson