Fago, (Francesco) Nicola

Fago, (Francesco) Nicola, esteemed Italian composer and pedagogue, known as II Tarantino; b. Taranto, Feb. 26, 1677; d. Naples, Feb. 18, 1745. After initial training in Taranto, he settled in Naples and studied with Provenzale at the Cons, della Pieta dei Turchini (1693–95). He was primo maestro at the Cons, di Sant’ Onofrio (1704–08) and at the Cons, della Pieta dei Turchini (1705–0), as well as maestro di cappella at the Tesoro de San Gennaro of the Cathedral (1709–31) and at the San Giacomo degli Spagnuoli Church (1736–45). His son, Lorenzo Pago (b. Naples, Aug. 13, 1704; d. there, April 30, 1793), an organist and composer, was also known as II Tarantino. He studied with his father and then was organist of the primo coro of the chapel of the Tesoro di San Gennaro, where he was maestro di cappella (1731–66; 1771–81). He also was secondo (1747–44) and primo (1744–93) maestro at the Cons, della Pieta dei Turchini. Among his works were sacred pieces and cantatas. His son, Pasquale Fago (b. c. 1740; d. before 1795), was a composer of operas and maestro di cappella at the Tesoro di San Gennaro (1766–71).

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Radamisto(Piedimonte, 1707); Astarto (Naples, Dec. 24, 1709); La Cassandra indovina (Piedimonte, Oct. 26, 1711); Lo Masiello (Naples, 1712; Act 2 by M. Falco). VOCAL: O r a t o r i o s : Faraone sommerso (n.d); // monte fiorito (Naples, 1707); // sogno avventurato ovvero II trionfo della Providenza (Naples, 1711). OTHER: Requiem; 7 Magnificats; Masses; Stabat mater; 19 Psalms; 2 motets; secular cantatas and arias.

Bibliography

E. Faustini-Fasini, N. F., “II Tarantino” e la suafamiglia (Taranto, 1931).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire