Fedeli

Fedeli, family of Italian musicians:

(1) Carlo Fedeli , instrumentalist and composer; b. Venice, c. 1622; d. there, Dec. 19, 1685. He was a string player at the basilica of San Marco in Venice from 1643, where he was maestro de concerti of its orch. (1661–85). He also played in theater orchs. and was maestro di strumenti at the orphanage of the Mendicanti (1662–72). He publ. a set of 12 sonatas for 2 to 4 Instruments (Venice, 1685). His two sons were also musicians:

(2) Ruggiero Fedeli , singer, instrumentalist, and composer; b. Venice, c. 1655; d. Kassel, Jan. 1722. He was a violist in theater orchs. in Venice, and then at the basilica of San Marco (1669–74), where he subsequently was a bass in its choir (1674–77). He then settled in Germany and was active in many court and theater establishments. In 1691 he was a composer at the Berlin court chapel. He became Kapellmeister in Kassel in 1700, a post he held until 1702. In 1708 he was named court composer and conductor in Berlin, but in 1709 he returned to Kassel as Kapellmeister. His deft handling of vocal writing in his opera Almira (Braunschweig), his cantatas, and his sacred works helped to shape the course of German composition.

(3) Giuseppe Fedeli , instrumentalist and composer;b. Venice, date unknown; d. probably in Paris, c. 1733.

He became a trombonist at the basilica of San Marco in 1680, but eventually settled in Paris. He wrote an opera, The Temple of Love (London, March 1706), chamber music, and vocal works.

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire