Frederico Pedrini, CM
Teodorico (Frederico) Pedrini was born June 30 1671 and died in Pekin, China in 1746. He was a member of the Congregation of the Mission in Italy. In 1702 he was sent to China by Pope Clement XI to evangelize the son of the Emperor.
Teodorico Pedrini was admitted to the Congregation of the Mission (Lazaristes) in 1698. He was sent to Rome in China by the pope in 1702 to please the emperor, who had hoped to have a few European artists to his court.
After a very circuitous journey of some ten years he arrived in Bejing in 1711.
He was received the same day by Emperor Kangxi, who at once took him under its protection, despite the hostility of some courtiers. He remained until his death in 1746 at the service of the Sons of Heaven: Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong.
He was responsible for the maintenance of harpsichords of the court, built instruments, including a new organ for the Jesuit church of Bei Tang, and another for the emperor. He finished the Treaty of European music commissioned by the emperor Jesuit Tomas Pereira (died 1708), accompanied the emperor on his travels, taught music to his son.
Among his works:
