Based upon that
which is already known from historians, Gaspare was a student
of Arcangelo Corelli and left for London
as a young man and became well-known as a violin virtuoso
with the pseudonym Gasparino or Gasparini. What is certain is
that in 1703, his seven " Sonate a Violino solo, è Violone, ò Cembalo,
Opera Prima", his greatest work and his most
important legacy, were published in Amsterdam. This
collection it would appear, had great success, as they were
immediately reprinted in the same year in London with the
title "Gasparini's solos for a violin and bass composed
by Seign.r Gaspare Visconti."
He resided in London for some time, probably until about 1705
when, having been recalled by his father, he began the return
journey to his native Cremona. The fact that there exist
copies or manuscripts of some of his compositions suggests
that he spent a brief period in Germany.
We know for certain that Gaspare Visconti was residing in
Cremona in 1707. The accounts of the Cremonese historian
George Sommi Picenardi and Chilesotti have shed light on
these years, refering to the presence of the Viscontis at an
Academy in Venice on the occasion of the visit of the King of
Poland , together with the famous Tartini and Veracini.
Nothing is known about any journeys or moves from Cremona ;
perhaps he devoted his time to music for pleasure as he had
no financial problems due to his noble social standing. This
reminds us of other "amateur" patricians such as
Benedetto Marcello. As a teacher, he had as his favourite
pupil Carlo Zuccari of Casalmaggiore who was to become very
famous in half the courts of Europe as a violin virtuoso
under the nickname " Zuccherino".
It would appear that his death occurred in Cremona in 1731.
During his lifetime many of Visconti's works were published.
Besides the seven " Sonate a Violino solo, è Violone,
ò Cembalo ",there was also a collection of " Arie
per due flauti " (London 1705), a metodo per violino
"Nolens Volens, the Third Book for the Violin, being an
Introduction for the Instructing of Young Pratictioners...
with...a Flourish or Prelude in every Key" ( ibid,1704 )
and several Preludes "Select Preludes and Voluntaries
for the violin... by all the Greatest Masters in Europe for
tath Instrument" ( London, J.Walsh and J.Hare,1705).
The collection of concertos entitled " Sei Concerti a
cinque Stromenti dei Signori. G.Tartini e G. Visconti "
Opera 1 libro 3 ( Amsterdam 1728) is of particular interest
and worthy of further investigation. It is in fact difficult
to establish which concertos are attributed to which
composers; from a stylistic standpoint, it would seem that
the 3rd and 5th should be attributed to Visconti.
There are also manuscripts of several violin and string
concertos ( Sachsische Landesbibliothek, Dresden and
Manchester Library), some violin and bass solos ( Sachsische
Landesbibliothek ) and a sonata for violin and bass.
Little is known for certain about the life of
this unforgettable composer from Cremona who in our opinion is
worth further attention for both the great beauty of his work and
the unique figure of violinist-composer in the unrepeatable
golden age of the 17th and 18th century. Although there is no
documentary evidence to prove a relationship between Visconti and
the workshops of the great violin-makers of Cremona at that time,
it is difficult to ignore the possibility; similarly, Visconti
may well have been involved in the diffusion of stringed
instruments made by the Cremonese school. As there exists even
today a concrete exchange of ideas and practical advice between
musicians and instrument makers, it should be reasonable to
imagine that Visconti the violinist and Stradivarius the violin
maker did likewise.