The article focuses on the biography of the Italian composer, teacher and writer Giovanni (Ivan) de Dominicis, who worked in Russia in 1809–1830s. On the basis of archival and literary sources, we provide important facts about his life and musical activity in Odessa, Moscow and St. Petersburg. We also take a careful look at his vocal and chamber compositions written during his Russian years. The two main literary works of de Dominicis are considered in detail — “Saggio su la vita del cavalier Don Giovanni Paesiello” and “Memorie istoriche politiche e familiari in forma di lettere su i costumi dei russi ed altre nazioni del Nord”. As an appendix to the article three opuses by de Dominicis are published: the collection of three chamber vocal works and two cycles for pianoforte: “Six Variations et un Rondo” on a theme from the opera “Die Zauberflöte” by W. A. Mozart (circa 1812) and “Six petites Sonates”.
The authors of the article would like to thank the staff of the Department of Musical Publications and Music Sound Recordings, as well as the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian National Library for their help in the research and permission to facsimile reproduction of the source pages.
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