Filippo Maria Gherardeschi

Filippo Maria Gherardeschi
(b Pistoia, 1738; d Pisa, 1808). Italian composer. He began his musical education in his home town, where his father, Giuseppe, was organist at the churches of SS Trinità and S Maria dell’Umiltà, and his uncle, Atto, was cantor in the chapel of Pistoia Cathedral.

He continued his studies in Bologna with Martini from 1756 to about 1761, when he was admitted to the Accademia Filarmonica (test piece in I-Baf). The rest of his life was spent in Tuscany, but he corresponded with Martini until the latter’s death in 1784 (39 letters in I-Bc). In 1761 he went to Livorno, where he gave private lessons and played the organ in various churches in the town. Despite Padre Martini’s assistance, he was unsuccessful in his application for the post of maestro di cappella (which had become vacant with C.A. Campioni’s move to Florence), the position going to Orazio Mei, then organist at Pisa Cathedral. He was made maestro di cappella in Volterra in 1763 and, four months later, organist at Pisa Cathedral. There he soon attained notable fame, being invited to play the harpsichord at court, for the patrician families of Pisa, and at the town theatre of the Accademia dei Costanti. In 1770 he was appointed maestro di cappella at Pistoia Cathedral, but only played there on major feast days. In 1771 he resigned from the cathedral, and the post was taken up by his brother Domenico (1733–1800), who was already organist there. In 1783 Pietro Leopoldo, Grand Duke of Tuscany, appointed Gherardeschi maestro di musica to his children and director of concerts (when the court was resident in Pisa), and in 1785 appointed him organist and maestro di cappella at the Chiesa Conventuale dei Cavalieri di S Stefano at Pisa, a post he retained until his death.