Giovanni Battista Martini

Martini’s eminent list of students includes Mozart, J. C. Bach, Martín y Soler, Sarti, Naumann, Mysliveček and Berezovsky (da Ponte in his writings called Martín Martini, leading to a continuing confusion of the two). The 14-year-old Mozart was welcomed with open arms, received a certificate for his abilities, and expressed his fondness for him. Quantz, Locatelli, Metastasio and Tartini were all correspondents (though he disagreed somewhat with Tartini, and with Rameau, to whom he wrote introducing the Paris-bound Goldoni). His friend Farinelli may have suggested that he write his influential History of Music.