Francesco Maria Veracini

Francesco Maria Veracini
(b Florence, 1 Feb 1690; d Florence, 31 Oct 1768). Italian composer and violinist.

Veracini was born into a family of musicians and artists. His grandfather was one of the first violinists of Florence; his uncle Antonio Veracini was that and a fine composer as well. Francesco Maria’s father Agostino was, ironically, one of the few Veracinis who did not play the violin even as an amateur; he was a druggist and undertaker. Veracini’s early training was provided by his uncle Antonio with whom the promising boy often performed in public. His other instructors in Florence were G.M. Casini and his assistant Francesco Feroci. In particular, Casini, the organist at Florence Cathedral and composer of church music in a highly individual, neo-Palestrinian style, left his mark upon Veracini’s subsequent works. His last teacher was apparently G.A. Bernabei, with whom he may have studied in 1715 when he was in southern Germany. There is no solid evidence that he studied with Corelli, as is sometimes asserted.