He was born in Frattamaggiore as the seventh son of Gaetano, humble wool carder, and Ursula Capasso. The father to have another income which compensates for the poor that the gains came from the practice of his humble work, performed duties of sexton and chorister at the parish of St. Sossio.
In 1699, after the death of his father, Francis moved to Naples to begin his musical studies at the Conservatory of S. Onofrio, where the priest Angelo Durante, his uncle taught counterpoint and how to “play keys”.
Angelo, however, soon realized the Buna preparation for the music of his nephew, resigned from the Conservatory and devoted himself fully to his education, although the smooth veneer on behalf of teacher and rector. His uncle also sent to study the violin, an instrument for which it showed during a special fondness, at the master Gaetano Francone, his great friend and teacher of “stringed instruments” at the Conservatory of S. Onofrio.
In 1705 he wrote the music for a sacred drama composed of the rev. A. Rolandi, now lost, for the joke dramatic portent MERCY TO THE GLORIOUS S. The Divot ANTHONY OF PADUA, which is represented in the road called the Mayo Porto on June 13 of 1705.
There are few reports received about his activities in later years, except that from July 1710 to January 1711, was appointed second master at the Conservatory of S. Onofrio, with a salary of 25 pugs.
On 24 January 1714, was united in marriage with Ursula de Laurentiis, his senior by 21 years. In 1718 he was in Rome, February 18th of 1719, when the professed house of the Fathers of the Pious Schools Duchesca is represented “The soul that is thirsty hart in flames”, operates a total loss, which did not please the public.
In 1728, Naples became Kapellmeister of the Conservatory of the Poor of Jesus Christ, left empty by the death of G. Greek, position he held until 1738, when for reasons still unknown, he resigned, having as students Terradellas Pergolesi.
In that decade, Francis wrote the music for the choruses of the tragedy FLAVIO VALENTE, the Six Sonatas for harpsichord, sacred drama ABIGAIL given to Rome in 1763 and then to Bologna in 1740, the Requiem in G minor, Missa in Palestrina and the two Acts of contrition for the students of the Conservatory.
In 1742 Francis, meanwhile, remained a widower, the place left empty by Porpora, got the first post of Master at the Conservatory of S. Our Lady of Loreto, holding it until his death. In 1745 he became the first teacher also in S. Onofrio, due to the death of Leo.
Although he made during a plea to the King, De Majo in November 1745 he was preferred in the role of master of the Royal Chapel, after a hard fought contest she entered the flower of the Neapolitan composers of the time.
Meanwhile Francis was married to Anna Funaro, a happy marriage of short duration, because just three years after his wife died suddenly.
A few years later, Francis walked to the third marriage, the young niece of his second wife, Angela Jacob. Marriages do not affect the music his industry, and the proof is in fact the first performance in Venice – at the Oratory of S. Our Lady of Consolation – Bologna and then – at the Oratory of the Galliera – his sacred drama S. ANTHONY OF PADUA Abbot G. Terribilini. Of his final task, you will remember, however, a Miserere for five voices composed in 1754 and a Mass in the Basilica of St. Nicholas of Bari
When Francis died September 30th of 1755, as attested by the death certificate of the Virgin in the Parish, getting buried, according to his will, in the Chapel of St. Anthony’s Church St. Lorenzo in Naples.
When you set up as a central point in terms of teaching in the Neapolitan musical life, so to be able to affirm the existence of a “school durantiana”. Some of his students are famous names in the music scene eighteenth century: remember Traetta, Piccinni, Paisiello, Sacchini, Guglielmi, Logroscino, Ciampi, Jommelli, Fenaroli, etc..
Jommelli had a positive opinion of him: Jommelli fact supposed to have its own style for the Church and even modern. Well expressed, smooth and artificial. The peculiar characteristic of Durante as a composer, is the attempt of harmonization of Palestrina counterpoint and expressive needs of his time. This is due essentially to his stay in Rome, witnessed by the list of members of the Academy of St. Cecilia, and to having followed the teaching of the masters Pythons, who placed it in a school dating back up to Palestrina counterpoint, and it plunged into the sea Pasquini Italian harpsichord.
The non-contact environments Neapolitan (seems to have been well in Saxony) provided him with the knowledge that enabled him, in the composition does not play, to be among the first to realize the substantial innovations Gluck. Asked for an opinion on a passage from “La Clemenza di Tito” (II.15) uttered a phrase which became famous:
“I do not know if this is or is not in conformity with the rules, but I say that all of us, starting with me, we would be proud to have conceived and written.”
From these words it is clear not only the sincere recognition of the abilities of others, but also the pragmatism During that nevertheless, as a teacher, is linked to the “Gradus” of Fux.
The teaching characterized his personality as well as the number and quality of its students, its pregiatezza is also demonstrated by the presence of his manuscripts in the major European libraries. The library of the Paris Conservatoire retains his works in 62 volumes.
Among his works occupy an important place, next to the vastness of those sacred works for harpsichord and 8 concerts for string quartet (plus one for harpsichord solo) ascribed to the last years of his life and it fit very well in the trend instrumental music of the Neapolitan. In the process they meet Arcadian, particularly present in the slow times almost wanting to avoid any over-sentimental, even next to premozartiani models. It also clearly an attempt to enrich the concert experience with gimmicks just stylistic traits as a composer so sacred and ancient, yet by no means new to the genre of which it operated.
The counterpoint is heard here as a means to achieve “the abstract beauty of a pure form” (degrades) without giving up some gains, however, the new galant style, which was very well when tied, so that the disappearance of that, even his fame faded quickly.
