To Örebro University

This keynote lecture delves into the counterpoint and composition exercises of the young Croatian composer Luka Sorkočević (1734–1789), also known as Luca Sorgo, created between 1754 and 1756 in Dubrovnik. Sorgo’s two handwritten counterpoint notebooks and early compositions, nowadays preserved in the Franciscan Monastery Music Archive in Dubrovnik, chronicle the initial steps of an eighteenth-century apprentice under the tutelage of a certain maestro Giuseppe Antonio Valente.

The content of Sorgo’s counterpoint notebooks suggests that Valente was trained at a Neapolitan conservatory in the early 18th century before he was appointed maestro di cappella at Dubrovnik Cathedral in 1749. This lecture will contextualize some central ideas in Valente’s curriculum that are deeply rooted in Neapolitan traditions. His lessons, documented in Sorgo’s notebooks, reveal the use of simple figured bass lines and variation counterpoint, hallmarks of Neapolitan pedagogy.

By comparing Sorgo’s counterpoint lessons with several counterpoint notebooks in and outside of the Neapolitan conservatories, I will argue that the bass lines in Sorgo’s counterpoint notebooks most likely were first played on the keyboard as partimenti. The practical preparatory work on the keyboard facilitated fluency in writing and skills in creating variations on commonly used harmonic or contrapuntal patterns.    

Though Dubrovnik, a smaller city of under 8,000 inhabitants, differed markedly from these major centers, Sorgo’s notebooks exemplify the diffusion of Neapolitan contrapuntal pedagogy across Europe. This lecture explores the transmission of these educational practices and Sorgo’s place within this rich pedagogical tradition.

Workshop

Title:          “Valente’s Partimento Pedagogy Reconstructed on the Keyboard”

Keywords:   Partimento, Francesco Durante, Bass Motions

This hands-on workshop offers a practical exploration of the counterpoint and composition techniques of Luka Sorkočević (1734–1789), also known as Luca Sorgo, developed under the guidance of Giuseppe Antonio Valente in Dubrovnik between 1754 and 1756. Participants will engage with Sorgo’s handwritten counterpoint notebooks and early compositions, which are preserved in the Franciscan Monastery Music Archive in Dubrovnik.

The workshop will delve into the core elements of Valente’s curriculum, which was heavily influenced by his training at a Neapolitan conservatory. Key components include the use of simple figured bass lines and variation counterpoint, both essential aspects of Neapolitan pedagogy. Through practical exercises on the keyboard, attendees will learn how these figured bass lines were initially played as partimenti, facilitating fluency in both writing and improvisation.

By examining, analyzing, and performing examples from Sorgo’s notebooks alongside other contemporary counterpoint exercises, participants will gain insight into the instructional methods of the time. The workshop will emphasize the creation of variations on commonly used harmonic and contrapuntal patterns, fostering a deeper understanding of eighteenth-century compositional techniques.

This session is designed for musicians, music educators, and students who wish to gain hands-on experience with historical counterpoint and composition practices. Attendees will leave with practical skills and knowledge that reflect the diffusion of Neapolitan contrapuntal pedagogy across Europe, as exemplified by Sorgo’s work in the relatively small yet culturally rich city of Dubrovnik.