Giovanni Battista Gervasio (c. 1725 - c. 1785) was an Italian musician and composer. Born in Naples he was one of the first generation of virtuoso-mandolinists who left Italy and played the mandolin in Europe in the 18th century. [1] [2] He was a composer for the mandolin and his works can be found scattered in 18th century collections such as the Gimo music collection and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. [3] [4] He also wrote a mandolin method Methode facile pour apprendre a quatre cordes, instrument pour les dames (Easy method for learning four-string instruments for ladies), published in Paris in 1767. [5] He performed in London 1768 and in Frankfurt-on-the-Main on December 10, 1777, and the Concert Spirituel in Paris on December 24, 1784 . [1] [5] He advertised in 1785 that he was master of singing and mandolin to Her Royal Highess, the Princess of Prussia. [5] A work of music addressed to her exists today in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. [3]
Gervasio advertised his teaching services in Grenoble in 1785. [5] As the last known advertisement for him, it has been proposed that he settled and later died there. [5]
Works in the Gimo collection were collected by a Swedish man, Jean Lefebure, "in the first half of 1762" in Italy. [4] They were hand-copied commercial products. [4]
The Sonata for mandolin, bass. No. 1. D major by Giovai Battista Gervasio (from Naples), given to a Prussian princess. The work was labeled "for fun and chamber study" on the title page.
A mandolin is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a plectrum. It most commonly has four courses of doubled metal strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 strings, although five and six course versions also exist. The courses are typically tuned in an interval of perfect fifths, with the same tuning as a violin. Also, like the violin, it is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass.
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[Last three tracks on album:] Sonata in Re maggiore, allegro. Sonata in Re maggiore, largo amoroso. Sonata in Re maggiore, taice alla tedesca
[Tracks 4-6 and 10-18 are by Gervasio:] (4-6) Sinfonia for 2 Mandolins & Continuo, Gimo 149, (10-12) Sonata for Mandolin & Continuo, Gimo 141, (13-15) Trio for 2 Mandolins & Continuo, Gimo 150, (16-18) Sonata per camera, Gimo 143.