Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)

Biography 1792-Born in Pesaro, Italy Musical parents Daddy played horn Mama sang (tenor?) Moved often to advance musical careers Carnival seasons Lugo Bologna

“School Days” 1806-Studied music privately at Liceo Musicale Voice Cello Piano Counterpoint: how to ‘properly’ construct music of multiple, independent melodic lines

Early Compositions Few instrumental pieces Sacred music Cantata Mass commissioned by cathedral of Rimini (1809) Cantata “award-winning” (1808)

Working World 1804- appeared professionally as singer Also worked in local theatres, inserting his own arias into operas 1810- first opera commissioned Patron Teatro S Moisè of Venice

Great decline in productivity follows. Compositional Output Three new operas a year from 1811 to 1819 One a year from 1820 to 1823 Great decline in productivity follows.

For soloists, four-part mixed chorus and orchestra (1831-32, 1842) Stabat Mater For soloists, four-part mixed chorus and orchestra (1831-32, 1842)

Poietical Analysis Commission for Fernandez Varela “Reluctant Rossini” Priest and state counsellor in Spain Friend of a friend Performed Good Friday, Madrid, 1833 “Reluctant Rossini” 1830- Released of post in French court [Charles X of France] Poor health Vacationing with banker friend in Spain Stabat Mater recently composed by Pergolesi Composed six of twelve movements before handing project to Giovanni Tadolini

Rossini picks up where he left off 10 years later Rossini picks up where he left off

The Scoop with The Stabat Valera dies in 1837 Stabat Mater ends up in the hands of a Parisian publisher 1841-Rossini rewrites the movements by Tadolini Re-orchestrated A HUGE success!

Sequence for B.V. Mary Latin poem believed to be work of anonymous 13th century Franciscan monk At the Cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother, weeping, Close to Jesus at the last. . .

No. 2 Cujus animam Cujust animam gementem Contristatam et dolentem, Pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater unigeniti! Quae moerebat et dolebat, Et tremebat, cum videbat, Nati poenas inclyti. Through her soul, of joy bereaved, Bowed with anguish, deeply grieved, Now at length the sword hath passed. O, that blessed one, grief-laiden, Blessed Mother, blessed Maiden, Mother of the all-holy One. O that silent, ceaseless mourning, O those dim eyes, never turning From that wondrous, suffering Son.

Esthetical Analysis Significant work of the composer Operatic style, but toned down from his actual operas Performed in concert settings i.e. Paris & Bologna, 1842 Critics and Audiences loved it!

Thoughts of a listener “Cool! Sounds like the latest hit opera. Is this really church music?” “Love bouncy, dance-like character.” “Catchy tune, quite lovely if you ask me.” “Too perky for the text about the Virgin Mary mourning over her dying son.” “Great instrumental dialogue.”

Neutral Analysis Little relevance between pitches and duration with text/ritual setting Melody dominates and the words fit in Volume increases with repetition of the text Instrumental timbres enhance ‘dialogue’ or exchange between vocalist and orchestra

And harmonic language for my fellow geeky music majors Texture and Form And harmonic language for my fellow geeky music majors

Bibliography Anderson, Robert: ‘Review’The Musical Times, Vol. 123, No. 1678, 250 Years of Covent Garden. (Dec., 1982), p. 865, JSTOR. Gosset, Phillip: ‘Rossini, Gioachino (Antonio)', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed [18 April 2006]), http://www.grovemusic.com. Deutsche Grammophon: Rossini: Stabat Mater: Richard Osborne, 1996 (sound recording). Rossini: Stabat Mater, Belwin Mills Publishing Corp. Melville, N.Y. (6398 Kalmus Vocal Scores).