1753
| 
| 
1 January 1753 What Warrior King, an ode by Maurice Greene (56) to words of Cibber, is performed for the first time.
8 January 1753 Attilio Regolo, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (38) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Teatro Delle Dame, Rome.
9 January 1753 Titon et l’Aurore, a pastorale-heroique by Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville (41) to words of de La Marre, de Voisenon and de Lamotte, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra. Its success is seen as a victory for the proponents of French opera in the Querelle des Bouffons.
10 January 1753 King Louis XV issues an edict which orders the opera company of Eutachio Bambini out of Paris. They have been the champions of Italian opera in the Querelle des Bouffons. Both Bambini and the Opéra will ignore the order.
11 January 1753 Johann Joachim Quantz, in Berlin, writes to Georg Philipp Telemann in Hamburg. He thanks Telemann for his kind words about Quantz’s Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversiere zu spielen. Quantz acknowledges the great value of the music of Telemann and Handel.
Physician and naturalist Hans Sloane dies in Chelsea. He bequeathed his substantial collection of books, coins, antiquities and other articles to the nation. They will be the beginnings of the British Museum.
In a concordat with Spain, Pope Benedict XIV gives up the right to appoint bishops and other church positions in European Spain to the king.
27 January 1753 A London newspaper reports that George Frideric Handel (67) has “quite lost his sight.”
A second version of Demofoonte, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (38) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, Ducal Palace, Milan. See 11 February 1764 and 4 November 1770.
5 February 1753 Solimano, an opera by Johann Adolf Hasse (53) to words of Migliavacca, is performed for the first time, at the Dresden Court Opera. The gigantic production includes mobs of people along with many farm and circus animals.
7 February 1753 One song by William Boyce (41) appears in the first performance of The Gamester, a tragedy by Moore, in Drury Lane Theatre, London.
10 February 1753 Baldassare Galuppi’s (46) dramma giocoso I bagni d’Albano to words of Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Samuele, Venice.
11 February 1753 Fetonte, a pasticcio containing the music of Niccolò Jommelli (38), to words of Villati, is performed for the first time, at the Ducal Theatre, Stuttgart, to celebrate the birthday of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg.
17 February 1753 An article in Scots Magazine suggests that information could be sent over long distances by sending electricity through wires.
22 February 1753 Charles Avison (44) dates his A Reply to the Author of Remarks On the Essay on Musical Expression. William Hayes, a professor at Oxford University, strongly criticized Avison’s less than laudatory remarks about Handel (67) in his Essay, and his preference for church music of the Italian school rather than the English. Avsion calls Hayes a “tasteless pedant.” Sales of the original Essay increase.
1 March 1753 Le Devin du village, an intermède by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, is performed publicly for the first time, at the Paris Opéra. It is enormously successful. See 18 October 1752.
13 March 1753 La reggia de’ Fati, a serenata by Niccolò Jommelli (38) to words of Pascali, is performed for the first time, in the Royal Ducal Palace, Milan, to celebrate the birth of Prince Joseph of Austria. Two arias are composed by Giovanni Battista Sammartini (52).
19 March 1753 La pastorale offerta, a serenata by Niccolò Jommelli (38) and Giovanni Battista Sammartini (52) to words of Pascali, is performed for the first time, in the Royal Ducal Palace, Milan, to celebrate the birth of Prince Joseph of Austria.
27 March 1753 Silla, an opera by Karl Heinrich Graun (49) to words of King Friedrich II, translated by Tagliazucchi, is performed for the first time, in the Berlin Opera House.
5 April 1753 The British Museum is founded by an act of Parliament.
9 April 1753 The Parlement of Paris issues the Grandes Remonstrances asserting its right to be the defender of the fundamental laws of France, even in the face of opposition from the king.
1 May 1753 George Frideric Handel (68) plays a voluntary on the organ at a performance of Messiah at the Foundling Hospital, London. This is the last reported instance of Handel (68) performing on the organ in public.
Species Plantarum (Species of Plants) by the Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus is published. It describes around 6,000 plants from all around the known world.
5 May 1753 The Parlement of Paris suspends all of its services. They are in dispute with King Louis over billets de confession. The Church has been denying Last Rites to those who do not support it politically.
22 May 1753 The Jewish Naturalization Act passes the House of Commons. It allows foreign Jews to be naturalized in Britain without becoming Christians. Passed with little controversy, it will be repealed due to popular outcry.
29 May 1753 Der krumme Teufel, a singspiel by Franz Joseph Haydn (21) to words of Kurz, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.
2 June 1753 A mutual defense treaty is agreed to by Austria, Great Britain and Modena.
7 June 1753 King George II gives royal assent to the British Museum Act, accepting the bequest of the collection of Sir Hans Sloane, to begin the British Museum.
15 June 1753 Il Figlio delle selve, a favola pastorale by Ignaz Holzbauer (41) to words of Capece, is performed for the first time, at Schwetzingen.
19 June 1753 La zingara, an intermezzo by Rinaldo di Capua (c.48), is performed for the first time, at the Académie royale de musique, Paris.
7 July 1753 The Jewish Naturalization Act receives royal assent, despite opposition by conservatives. Jews may now become full British citizens on application to Parliament. It will be repealed next year due to widespread opposition.
10 July 1753 L’eroe cinese, an opera seria by Baldassare Galuppi (46) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples.
11 July 1753 By decree of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg, Ignaz Holzbauer (41) is released from his service.
15 July 1753 The grand motet In exitu Israel by Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville (41) to words of the Psalms, is performed for the first time, at Versailles before the court.
23 July 1753 Franz Konrad von Stadion-Thannhausen replaces Johann Philip Anton von Frankenstein as Prince-Bishop of Bamberg.
4 August 1753 Gottfried Silbermann dies in Dresden, aged 70 years, six months and 21 days.
12 August 1753 Joseph Boulogne (7) arrives in Bordeaux with his stepmother to attend school.
30 August 1753 La clemenza di Tito, an opera seria by Niccolò Jommelli (38) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Ducal Theatre, Stuttgart, under the direction of the composer, for the birthday of Duchess Frederike of Württemberg.
Two works by Georg Philipp Telemann (72) to words of Dreyer are performed for the first time, in Hamburg: the oratorio Fürchtet den Herrn und dienet ihm treulich, and the serenade Die Zeiten, die so schnell verfliessen.
29 September 1753 Antonio Soler (23) receives Holy Orders at El Escorial, in a ceremony for which he composed a Veni creator.
1 October 1753 Oden mit Melodien is published in Berlin. It is a very influential collection of songs by some of the foremost composers in Germany, including Georg Philipp Telemann (72), Johann Gottlieb Graun (50), Carl Heinrich Graun (49), and CPE Bach (39).
3 October 1753 Pope Benedict XIV grants Domenico Scarlatti (67) a plenary indulgence for himself and his family.
Robert Dinwiddie, British governor of Virginia, sends 21-year-old George Washington into the region of the Ohio Valley to observe French movements and encroachments in the area.
7 October 1753 Johann Adolf Hasse’s (54) opera L’eroe cinese, to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Hubertusburg Court.
30 October 1753 Daphnis et Eglé, a pastorale-heroïque by Jean-Philippe Rameau (70) to words of Collé, is performed for the first time, at Fontainebleau.
4 November 1753 The second version of Ricimero, re dei goti, an opera seria by Baldassare Galuppi (47), is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples.
9 November 1753 Karl Christian replaces Karl August as Prince of Nassau-Weilburg.
13 November 1753 Jean-Philippe Rameau’s (70) acte de ballet Les Sibarites, to a scenario by Marmontel, is performed for the first time, at Fontainebleau.
21 November 1753 Niccolò Jommelli (39) signs a contract to become Musikdirektor und Oberkapellmeister for Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg in Stuttgart. The contract becomes effective on 1 January 1754.
28 November 1753 Due to popular opposition, the Jewish Naturalization Act, which passed the Commons last 22 May, is repealed.
30 November 1753 Johann Baptist Schenk is born in Wiener Neustadt, the son of an employee at the Wiener Neustadt military academy.
1 December 1753 Incidental music to Glover’s play Boadicea by William Boyce (42) is performed for the first time, in Drury Lane Theatre, London.
18 December 1753 Ifigenia in Aulide, a pasticcio with some music by Tommaso Traetta (26) to words of Verazi after Zeno, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples.
26 December 1753 Ciro in Armenia by Agnesi-Pinottini, with ballet music by Giovanni Battista Sammartini (52), is performed for the first time, in the Royal Ducal Palace, Milan.
Niccolò Jommelli’s (39) opera seria Bajazette, to words of Piovene, is performed for the first time, in the Royal Theatre, Turin.
©Paul Scharfenberger 2004-2012
1 June 2012
Last Updated (Friday, 01 June 2012 05:01)