1730–1765 · Classical
Elisabetta de Gambarini was a London-born singer, organist, harpsichordist, conductor and composer of Italian descent. She sang in Handel's oratorios, organised her own concerts and, in 1748–1750, published three collections of harpsichord pieces and songs. She died in London in 1765. The site has her sheet music for voice and piano.
Elisabetta de Gambarini was born in London, in Marylebone, on Holles Street. Her father, Charles Gambarini, was a nobleman of Lucca in Italy and counsellor to the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. Her mother, Joanna Stradiotti, came from Dalmatia and had a similar status.
There were four children in the family, and Elisabetta was the third. Of the sisters, she alone lived to adulthood. Her name was written in several ways: Elizabeth, Elisabetta or Elisabetti for the first name, and Gambarini, de Gambarini, Gamberini or Gambarene for the surname.
There is no detailed information on how Elisabetta was trained in music. It has been suggested that she studied with Francesco Geminiani. Some see grounds for this in the fact that at one of her benefits she borrowed Geminiani's score The Inchanted Forest, and think she may have been his pupil.
Elisabetta began her career as a singer in Handel's Occasional Oratorio, first performed on 14 February 1746, where she sang the second soprano part. At the first performance of Judas Maccabaeus, on 1 April 1747, she took the part of an Israelite woman. She probably also sang Asenath in the oratorio Joseph and his Brethren in 1747.
Her name also turns up in connection with Handel's Samson and Messiah, but the dates of her appearances are not known.
By 1748 she was known well enough to arrange a benefit concert of her own, where she sang and played her compositions with the organ. In 1748–1750 Elisabetta published three collections of harpsichord pieces and songs in Italian and English.
She dedicated the first, Six Sets of Lessons for the Harpsichord (Op. 1), to Viscountess Howe. The second, a book of harpsichord lessons mixed with Italian and English songs (Op. 2), appeared in 1748 with a dedication to the Prince of Wales. In 1750 came her Op. 3, twelve English and Italian songs with German flute and thorough bass, written mostly for wind players and inscribed to the Duke of Marlborough. With these volumes Elisabetta became the earliest woman in Britain whose keyboard collection reached print.
Handel was among the two hundred subscribers to her harpsichord publications. Geminiani also subscribed, as did dukes, lawyers, barons, lords and captains.
Her venues included the Haymarket Theatre as well as the large concert hall in Dean Street, Soho. Later she put on several benefits, taking part as a composer, a harpsichordist, an organist and a singer.
On 15 April 1761 her benefit concert took place in the Great Room on Dean Street. It included an ode of her own and cantatas by Geminiani.
Her husband was Etienne Chazal; the wedding took place on 20 March 1764 at the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. In May 1764, by then Mrs Chazal, she gave a concert as organist and composer. That concert was her last.
Elisabetta died at home in Castle Court, off the Strand, on 9 February 1765, and on 14 February she was laid to rest at St James's, Westminster. According to her mother's will, Elisabetta had a daughter named Giovanna Georgiana Chazal. Her death may have been connected with childbirth, but that is not established. Nothing more is known about her husband or daughter.
Elisabetta wrote for harpsichord, voice and flute. In Six Sets of Lessons for the Harpsichord the pieces have two voices, apart from the March of Sonata IV, which has three. In the second collection the pieces alternate with Italian and English songs, and it is close to vocal music in make-up: it rests on a text, the range is small, the form is strophic, the pieces are short and there are no multi-movement cycles.
The songs could be performed in several ways: by voice, on flute, on keyboard, or with voice and flute taking turns. The texts drew on moral lessons or on references to antiquity. The writing is plain, the keyboard part is uncomplicated, and many of the pieces are lively and attractive.
Her list of works also includes Honour, Riches, Marriage-Blessing from The Tempest. Our site has her Behold, Behold and Listen for voice and piano, at the level 'Intermediate+'.