retained as a memorial of his visit, and finally bequeathed to his wife. After his return he composed entirely for the church and chamber. Lotti died of a long and painful dropsy on Jan. 5, 1740, and was buried in the church of S. Geminiano, where his widow (who died 1759 and was buried with him.) erected a monument to his memory. It was destroyed with the church in 1815.
Besides the compositions already mentioned he wrote for Vienna an opera, 'Constantino,' overture by Fux (1716), and two oratorios, 'Il Voto crudèle' (1712), and 'L' Umiltá coronata' (1714); for Venice, the oratorios 'Gioa, Rè di Giuda,' 'Giuditta' (printed by Poletti), and the celebrated madrigal 'Spirto di [1]Dio' for the Doge's espousal of the Adriatic, performed on the Bucentoro in 1736—a very effective composition. His book of Madrigals (1705) dedicated to the Emperor Joseph I., contains the one in 5 parts, 'In una siepe ombrosa,' which Bononcini claimed in London as his own composition, and which led to his disgrace (see p. 650a, note). Another is given as a model by Padre Martini in his 'Esemplare di contrappunto.' Nevertheless they were severely handled at the time in a 'Lettera famigliare d'un accademico filarmonico,' circulated in MS. anonymously, but attributed on Montana's authority to Marcello, who had been a pupil of Lotti's. Many of his compositions are still in the King of Saxony's musical library, and Breitkopf & Härtel once possessed several of his MSS., as did also Dr. Burney.
Lotti's rank among musicians is a high one, from the fact that though the last representative of the old severe school, he used modern harmonies with freedom and grace. The expression and variety of his music struck even his contemporaries, especially Hasse, when he was at Venice in 1727. Burney, who heard his church music sung in Venice in 1770 (Tour, ii. 152) credits him with 'grace and pathos,' and characterises his choral music as both solemn and touching, and so capable of expression, though written in the old contrapuntal style, as to have affected him even to tears. Of his cantatas he says that they contain recitatives full of feeling (Hist. iv. 534). As a specimen of his writing for a single voice we may cite the favourite song 'Pur dicesti.' He was so afraid of overloading the voices that he never used orchestral accompaniments in church music. There are wind instruments as well as the four strings in his Dresden operas, but not in those produced in Venice.
Besides Saratelli and Marcello, Alberti, Bassani, Gasparmi, and Galuppi were among his pupils. A motet of Lotti's, 'Blessed be thou,' and a madrigal, 'All hail Britannia,' both for 4 voices, are given in Mr. Hullah's Part Music (1st ed.), and a fine Credo in C, also for 4 voices, in his Vocal Scores and Part Music (2nd ed.). Proske has a Mass of his (à 4) in Musica Divina, vol. i., and Rochlitz a Crucifixus, à 6, and another à 8, and a Qui tollis, à 4, in his Sammlung. There is also a Kyrie in the Auswahl vorz. Musikwerke (Trautwein). Four Masses and a Requiem are in Lück's Sammlung, and various other pieces in the collections of Schlesinger, Moskowa, etc.
LOTTINI, Antonio, the principal Italian basso in London in 1737 and 8. He sustained that part in Handel's 'Faramondo' in 1737, in his 'Serse,' and in the 'Conquista del Vello d'oro' in 1738.
LOUIS FERDINAND, Prince,—accurately Friedrich Christian Ludwig,—born Nov. 18, 1772, killed at the battle of Saalfeld, Oct. 13, 1806, was the son of Prince August Ferdinand of Prussia, and therefore nephew of Frederick the Great and of Prince Henry (the patron of J. P. Salomon, and cousin of Frederick William II), the cello-player for whom Beethoven wrote his op. 5. His sister Louise married Prince Radziwill, who composed the Faust music and to whom Beethoven dedicated the Overture op. 115. Louis Ferdinand thus belonged to a musical as well as a royal family, and he appears to have been its brightest ornament on the score of natural gifts—his uncle the Great Frederick excepted—even down to our own time; in music undoubtedly so. He was kindly and generous in the highest degree, and free from all pride of rank; energetic and enterprising, and as a soldier bold to temerity. In conversation he was brilliant, in social intercourse delightful. On the point of morals his reputation was not good; but one who knew him well, while admitting that, being prevented by his rank from making a marriage of affection, 'he chose female friends with whom he lived in the most intimate relations,' asserts positively that 'he never seduced an innocent girl, or destroyed the peace of a happy marriage.' This, in the time of Frederick William II, was high praise. He was passionately fond of his two illegitimate children, and left them to the care of his sister, Princess Radziwill. That he very early entered the army was a matter of course, for no other career was open to a Prussian prince; but that, amid all the distractions of a military life, no small part of which (1792–1806) was spent in hard service, he should have become a sound practical musician and composer proves his energy and perseverance no less than his talent; but music was his passion, and in garrison or camp he had musicians with him and kept up his practice. He preferred English pianofortes, of which he is said to have purchased no less than thirteen.
We find no account of his masters and early studies, nor any but vague notices of his rapid progress, until 1793. He was then with his regiment at Frankfort, and is reported to have aided a poor musician not only with his purse, but by a very fine performance of a sonata in a concert. Three years later, in 1796, Beethoven, then in Berlin, formed that opinion of his playing which he afterwards expressed to Ries (Biog. Not. p. 110), that, though the playing of Himmel—then among the most renowned of pianists—was elegant and pleasing, it was not to be compared to that of the Prince. Ries also (Ib.) records
- ↑ A MS. of this is in the Library of the Sacred Harmonic Society, No. 1340.
