Francesco Gasparini (19 March 1661 – 22 March 1727)

Gasparini was an Italian Baroque composer and teacher whose works were performed throughout Italy, as well as Germany and England.

Born in Camaiore, near Lucca, Gasparini studied in Rome with Arcangelo Corelli and Bernardo Pasquini.

His first important opera, Roderico (1694), was produced in Rome. 



In 1702 he went to Venice and became one of the leading composers in the city. He was musical director of the The Ospedale della Pietà, the convent orphanage and music school in Venice. There he employed Antonio Vivaldi as a violin master.

He wrote the first opera using the story of Hamlet (Ambleto, 1705). 

This was performed in Venice, Napels and London. Gasparini was also a teacher, the instructor of Benedetto Marcello, Johann Joachim Quantz and Domenico Scarlatti. 



In 1720 he returned to Rome for his last important work, Tigrane (1724).

He died in Rome in 1727.

For more information on Francesco Gasparini.

You may purchase a recording of the song from Presto Music.

Caro laccio, dolce nodo. The poem is anonymous.

Caro laccio, dolce nodo,
che legasti il mio pensier;
so ch'io peno e pur ne godo,
son contento e prigionier.

English translation.

Dear snare, sweet knot

Dear snare, sweet knot,
that tie my thoughts;
I know that I suffer and yet I rejoice (enjoy),
I am happy and a prisoner.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pronunciation of the Italian poem.

kˈaro lˈat͡ʃːo, dˈolt͡ʃe nˈɔdo

kˈaro lˈat͡ʃːo, dˈolt͡ʃe nˈɔdo,
kˈe leɡˈastɪ ˈiːl mˈio pensjˈɛr;
sˈɔ t͡ʃˈiio pˈɛnoˈeː pˈur nˈe ɡˈodo,
sˈon kontˈɛnto ˈeː prid͡ʒonjˈɛr.