A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Paradies, Pietro

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

PARADIES, Pietro Domenico, born at Naples in 1710, a pupil of Porpora, and an esteemed teacher and composer, lived for many years in London. In 1747 he produced at the King's Theatre 'Phaeton,' 6 airs from which were published by Walsh, and frequently sung at concerts by Signora Galli. He also printed 'Sonate di gravicembalo,' dedicated to the Princess Augusta (Johnson; 2nd. ed. Amsterdam, 1770). Such players as dementi and Cramer studied his works conscientiously, and he was in great request as a teacher. When Miss Schmähling (afterwards Mme. Mara) made her first appearance in London as a violinist of 11, Paradies was engaged as her singing master, but her father soon found it necessary to withdraw her from his influence. An earlier pupil, and one of his best, was Miss Cassandra Frederick,^[1] who at the age of 5½ gave a concert in the Little Haymarket Theatre (1749), playing compositions by Scarlatti and Handel. The last we hear in England of this eccentric Italian is his connection with the elder Thomas Linley, to whom he gave instruction in harmony and thorough-bass. He returned to Italy, and died at Venice in 1792. A Sonata by Paradies in D is printed by Pauer in his 'Alte Meister,' and another, in A, in his 'Alte Klaviermusik'; and a Toccata is given in Breitkopf's 'Perles Musicales.' The Fitzwilliam Collection at Cambridge contains much MS. music by him, apparently in his autograph.

[ C. F. P. ]

1. Miss Frederica, a favourite of Handel's, also played the organ in public in 1760, and sang in Handel's oratorios. She married Thomas Wynne, a land-owner in South Wales, and exercised considerable Influence over the musical educatiuu of her nephew Mazzinghi.