Francesco Antonio Bonporti

Who was Francesco Antonio Bonporti?

Francesco Antonio Bonporti was an Italian priest and amateur composer.

He was born in Trento. In 1691, he was admitted to the Collegium Germanicum in Rome, where he studied theology. There, he also studied composition under the guidance of Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni and, although it is not confirmed, violin with Arcangelo Corelli.

Back in his native Trento, he was ordained a priest in 1695. In 1740 he moved to Padua, where he lived until his death.

He influenced Johann Sebastian Bach in the development of the invention, and in fact several of his works were mistakenly included in a set of Bach's inventions. In reality, Bach had transcribed for harpsichord four violin pieces from Bonporti's op. X.

Bonporti's musical work consists of twelve opera, published between 1696 and 1736. He died in Padua in 1749.