Carlo Monza

Carlo Monza was an Italian composer known for his operas and sacred music. He was one of the most popular and respected composers in Milan during the late 1700s. He became known as a composer in 1758 at the premiere of his first opera, Olimpiade.

Historians have estimated that Monza was born around 1735, but the details regarding his early life are unfortunately lost. He studied music with Giovanni Andrea Fioroni, and probably <a href="spotify:artist:3q4lkJBQDPwgWC1rkfxXLv">Giovanni Battista Sammartini</a>. There is no documentation supporting his education with <a href="spotify:artist:3q4lkJBQDPwgWC1rkfxXLv">Sammartini</a>, but Monza succeeded him in two of his professional appointments, which was a common practice among musicians and their students. Monza became the organist of the ducal court in Milan in 1768 after <a href="spotify:artist:3q4lkJBQDPwgWC1rkfxXLv">Sammartini</a> was promoted to maestro de capella. By 1770, he had already composed several operas, and <a href="spotify:artist:4AviLWs1JENxJHU0HkfsZR">Charles Burney</a>, a music historian of the time, wrote that Monza and <a href="spotify:artist:2NAOYDYzqafREll8g2rWKg">Melchiorre Chiesa</a> were the two best active Milanese opera composers.

After <a href="spotify:artist:3q4lkJBQDPwgWC1rkfxXLv">Sammartini</a>'s death in 1775, Monza took over his position as maestro at the Milanese court. For the next 12 years, he composed operas and chamber music, and he became known for his sacred works. He also held appointments as maestro at three other churches in the area and was probably a common fixture within the local Catholic community. In 1787 he became the maestro at the Milan Cathedral, a position that he had been denied in both 1773 and 1778. From this point on, he devoted his compositional efforts completely to sacred music. French occupation of Italy ended Monza's position at the Milan Cathedral in 1796, and he died five years later in Milan.

More than 200 of his sacred works are held in the Milan Cathedral archives, but most of his compositions for other churches are lost. Monza's style includes lyrical melodies, varied textures, and sophisticated counterpoint for the time. Since 2007, his music has been recorded by <a href="spotify:artist:3r1dphXjVBOwbUAYrrkEkQ">Fabio Biondi</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2U5grycWMciHdeNQGUH7dO">Europa Galante</a>, and La Gioia Armonica. According to <a href="spotify:artist:3r1dphXjVBOwbUAYrrkEkQ">Biondi</a>, Monza's music is an accurate representation of the late 18th century Milanese school, and was a likely influence on the young <a href="spotify:artist:4NJhFmfw43RLBLjQvxDuRS">Mozart</a>, who was in Milan then. ~ RJ Lambert, Rovi