Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco

Even though composer Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco was in the service of the Bavarian court of the elector Maximilian II Emmanuel for most of his life, his 66 skillfully crafted works (Op. 1 - 6), which were rooted in the Italian Baroque style, show his interest in experimenting with French dance forms and stately early classicism. Most of these creative pieces, described mainly as post-Corellian, were written within a 15-year period (1708 - 1721), during the repeated relocating of Maximilian's court. Dall'Abaco originally joined the court in 1704 after studying the cello and violin (probably with Torelli) and after performing in Modena, at times with Ambreville. Following a loss in the War of the Spanish Succession, the elector took many members of his court to various countries, beginning with the Netherlands, then to the city of Brussels, Mons, Compiegne, and finally back to Munich in 1715. Dall'Abaco was wed in the Netherlands to Marie Clamence Bultinck and the long period of relocating gave him the opportunity to prove his worth and devotion as a husband to his wife and as a court musician and servant to Maximilian. The elector was so pleased with the service he received that he appointed Dall'Abaco Konzertmeister upon their return; shortly thereafter, the composer then became electoral councillor. This triumph undoubtedly added to the joy he and his wife had shared following the birth of their son Joseph-Marie-Clement (1709 or 1710). Dall'Abaco continued to perform and compose in the service of the Bavarian court even after Karl Albrecht rose as its new leader following Maximilian's death. Dall'Abaco retired from the court in 1740 and passed away two years later, on the anniversary of his birth, at the age of 67.