Francis Alberti

From Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

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Little more is known of Alberti. On August 5, 1785, a friend in Richmond wrote to Jefferson, "By the bye old Alberti died and was interrd last night here. He was one of a Band of musick to whom I have subscribed tho never heard them, at all; they surpass in execution, hardly the Jews Harp and Banjer performers."<ref>James Currie to Jefferson, Richmond, August 5, 1785, in [[Short Title List|''PTJ'']], 8:342.</ref> Little more is known of Alberti. On August 5, 1785, a friend in Richmond wrote to Jefferson, "By the bye old Alberti died and was interrd last night here. He was one of a Band of musick to whom I have subscribed tho never heard them, at all; they surpass in execution, hardly the Jews Harp and Banjer performers."<ref>James Currie to Jefferson, Richmond, August 5, 1785, in [[Short Title List|''PTJ'']], 8:342.</ref>
 +
 +==Primary Source References==
 +'''1768 Jan. 31.''' "Pd. a negro of Chr. Clarke's for Alberti 2/6."<ref>[[Short Title List|''MB'']], 1:70. (See also extensive editorial note accompanying this entry.)</ref>
 +
 +'''1769 March 10.''' "Mem. I am to pay Dav. Ross for Will. Prior at the April Gen. Court £10 for Alberti."<ref>[[Short Title List|''MB'']], 1:139.</ref>
 +
 +'''1771 Nov. 30.''' "Pd. Sr. Alberti for tooth pick case 5/."<ref>[[Short Title List|''MB'']], 1:264.</ref>
 +
 +'''1772 Mar. 20.''' "Sent do. [Mr. Moore] to pay off exn. v. Albert £6."<ref>[[Short Title List|''MB'']], 1:287.</ref>
 +
 +'''1774 May 4.''' "Accepted Francis Alberti's order in favour of Saml. Taliaferro for £63-14-4."<ref>[[Short Title List|''MB'']], 1:373.</ref>
 +
 +'''1777 Mar. 19.''' "See Pet. Feild Trent's acct. rendered me by George Divers money paid & goods delivered to following persons & charged to me....1774. Sep. 17. Francis Alberti 2-10-0. Some of which are already settled in account with those persons, the others must be carried into account."<ref>[[Short Title List|''MB'']], 1:440-1.</ref>
==Footnotes== ==Footnotes==

Revision as of 13:20, 12 May 2010

Francis (Francesco) Alberti ( ? – 1785) was a musician from Faenza, Italy.[1] He came to the colonial capitol of Williamsburg with a "troop" of musicians who played regularly for festivities at the Governor’s Palace and other sites in the area. He caught the attention of Thomas Jefferson, then a student at the College of William & Mary, who employed Alberti as a violin tutor.[2] Alberti is also said to have tutored the future Mrs. Jefferson, Martha Wayles Skelton, on the harpsichord.[3]

Once established at Monticello, Jefferson invited Alberti to visit him there, where Alberti continued to tutor Jefferson, his wife, Martha, and other members of the Monticello household; Alberti also taught dancing to other nearby residents, including James Madison.[4]

Even after hearing some of the finest musicians and composers of the day during his years in Europe, Jefferson still retained a fondness for Alberti. He told Nicholas Trist that he had heard the great violinist Viotti many times, but “never derived the same pleasure from him that I have from Alberti.”[5]

Little more is known of Alberti. On August 5, 1785, a friend in Richmond wrote to Jefferson, "By the bye old Alberti died and was interrd last night here. He was one of a Band of musick to whom I have subscribed tho never heard them, at all; they surpass in execution, hardly the Jews Harp and Banjer performers."[6]

Primary Source References

1768 Jan. 31. "Pd. a negro of Chr. Clarke's for Alberti 2/6."[7]

1769 March 10. "Mem. I am to pay Dav. Ross for Will. Prior at the April Gen. Court £10 for Alberti."[8]

1771 Nov. 30. "Pd. Sr. Alberti for tooth pick case 5/."[9]

1772 Mar. 20. "Sent do. [Mr. Moore] to pay off exn. v. Albert £6."[10]

1774 May 4. "Accepted Francis Alberti's order in favour of Saml. Taliaferro for £63-14-4."[11]

1777 Mar. 19. "See Pet. Feild Trent's acct. rendered me by George Divers money paid & goods delivered to following persons & charged to me....1774. Sep. 17. Francis Alberti 2-10-0. Some of which are already settled in account with those persons, the others must be carried into account."[12]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ This article is based on June King, Monticello Research Report, January 2010.
  2. ↑ MB, 1:70.
  3. ↑ Randall, Life, 1:132. Text available online.
  4. ↑ Ibid.
  5. ↑ Nicholas Trist Memorandum, quoted in Randall, Life, 1:131.
  6. ↑ James Currie to Jefferson, Richmond, August 5, 1785, in PTJ, 8:342.
  7. ↑ MB, 1:70. (See also extensive editorial note accompanying this entry.)
  8. ↑ MB, 1:139.
  9. ↑ MB, 1:264.
  10. ↑ MB, 1:287.
  11. ↑ MB, 1:373.
  12. ↑ MB, 1:440-1.
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