Mazzinghi, Joseph

1765-1844

Piano teacher, organist and composer; of ancient Corsican blood; born in London. He studied music with Bertolini, Sacchini, Anfossi and John Sebastian Bach, progressing so amazingly that in 1775, when he was only ten years old, he was made organist of the Portuguese Chapel. In 1784 he became director at the King's Theatre. He became piano teacher of the Princess of Wales, afterward Queen Caroline, and in 1830 was made a Count. He had a great many pupils on the piano, and besides this composed a large number of pieces and wrote some operas. Some of his operas are II Tesero; A Day in Turkey; The Magician no Conjuror; La belle Arsene; Paul and Virginia; The Blind Girl; Ramah Droog; Chains of the Heart; The Wife of Two Husbands; The Exile; and The Free Knights. He composed almost seventy sonatas, besides a great number of songs and glees, also a mass and some hymns.