Biography
Evident in De Fesch's output were various musical influences. Italian composers, above all Vivaldi, shaped the melodic contours. Although connected socially to individuals opposed to Handel, that composer nonetheless left a mark on De Fesch's style; yet the briefer pieces exhibit a distinctive quality uniquely and mysteriously his own. His creative output falls into distinct phases according to location. The Antwerp period produced particularly virtuosic writing, albeit with increasing simplicity later on, whereas pieces from his London years took the form of pastoral serenades, concertos, and oratorios set to English words. The range of his compositions reveals De Fesch as a skilled creator, and he further distinguished himself through mastery of the violin.