Rossini Facts
1) I thought it was interesting that he was able to meet Beethoven and that Beethoven encouraged him to
write only comic opera, because Beethoven had seen The Barber of Seville and thought it such a
masterpiece.
2) Rossini abandoned the instrumental overture to his operas eventually so that the audience became
involved in the plot sooner.
3) Was known as "the little German" on account of his devotion to Mozart.
1. 1806 studied in Bologna Conservatory, where Haydn and Mozart's music became a big influence on his
style.
2. He often re-uses his own overtures and arias from previous works.
3. Last ten years, he produced witty piano pieces and songs often parodies of other music - influenced
Saint-Saens, Satie and other French neoclassicism.
4.
5. 1) With his opera Aureliano in Palmira Rossini affirmed his authority over the singers writing also the
ornaments for his melodies.
6. 2) The Barber of Seville was a failure because the Romans preferred the version by Paisiello. But it
was a success in all the other theaters.
7. 3) Rossini met Richard Wagner in 1860 after inviting him to one of his gourmet banquettes in his
villa in Passy. Wagner wrote of his meeting with Rossini in his essay “Eine Erinnerung an Rossini” (“A
Memory of Rossini”). This shows how important Rossini's influence has been in development of
romantic music.
8.
9. 1.In 1806, his teacher's (Mattei) views on counterpoint served only to drive him toward a freer school
of composition.
10. 2.He independently studied the scores of Mozart and Haydn.
11. 3.Rossini would eventually write out the ornaments in the arias, instead of leaving them to the fancy
of the singers.
12. 1. A characteristic in Rossini's orchestral scoring is a long, steady building of sound over an ostinato figure, beginning in
a whisper and rising to a flashing, glittering storm," which earned him the nickname of "Signor Crescendo".
13.
14. 2. He wrote 40 operas in 20 years. His writing helped to bring the tenor and mezzo soprano voices to domination. As
well as his bel canto writing styles which showcased the performers voice.
15. 3.Rossini's "Peches de Vieillesse" is a series of about 150 compositions meant to be "salon music" for gatherings of his
friends. These works include chamber music, voice and piano, and solo piano; as well as sacred works like Petite Messe
Solennelle
16.
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Irrespective of Beethoven’s recommendation the Rossini should only compose opera buffa,
the latter did compose some notable opera seria whilst in Naples, among
them Otello and Armida (both 1817), Ermione (1819), Zelmira andSemiramide (both 1823)
17. -
During this seven year contract in Naples (from 1815), Rossini specifically wrote the majority
of his operas to feature soprano Isabella Colbran, who later became his first wife.
18. -
He did arrange an orchestration of the Petite Messe Solennelle, but maintained afterwards
that he preferred the original piano and harmonium version.
19. -As the son of a horn player and a mother who made a career for herself in opera, Rossini had
direct experience with operatic performance, both in the orchestra pit and on stage.
20. -In Rome, Rossini was commissioned to write two operas for the carnival season. One of the works
was an opera of "THE BARBER OF SEVILLE", which he finished in only 13 days. During that time he
barely slept and ate, spending all his efforts on composing.
21. -Rossini wrote the Messe in and around 1863, dedicating it to his friends the Count and Countess
Pillet-Will. The first performance took place in their grand new home on March 14, 1864 at 10:00pm.
There was only one further performance of the Messe during Rossini's lifetime, given on April 24,
1865.
22. 1. Rossini's only appearance as a singer was at the Theatre of the Commune playing the role of Ferdinando Paer's
Camilla.
23. 2. By the age of 21 Rossini had stablished himself as the idol of Italian Opera public. He continued composing for the
next five years but unfortunately his compositions were perceived as unsatisfactory by the audience after the success of
Tancredi.
24. 3. Rossini's operas display a very demanding level of difficulty for singers, in fact, from the middle XIX century to the
decade of the 70's, such operas were almost impossible to be sung. Even though singing those Operas was possible since
some singers emulated the real addressees of such works. (Taken from http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gioachino_Rossini)
25. 1) At the Liceo Musicale in Bologna Rossini studied counterpoint under Padre Stanislao Mattei.
Rossini did not react well to the constraints and restrictions of counterpoint. Mattei considered him
the ‘dishonour of his school’. By bending the rules and refusing to follow the strict rules of
counterpoint, Rossini developed a more individual voice as a composer than many of his
contemporaries.
26. 2) Rossini played games with harmony to add variety and interest to his work. For example, ‘Di tanti
palpiti’ from Tancredi is a beautiful melody that Rossini spices up at the cadence: instead of resting
on the tonic F jumps to the major chord on the flattened third degree Ab.
27. 3) At the end of the autograph score for Messe Solennelle Rossini writes: ‘Dear God. Here it is,
finished, this poor little Mass. Have I written sacred music [musique sacrée] or damned music [sacrée
musique]? I was born for opera buffa, you know it well! Little science, some heart, that's all. Be
blessed, then, and grant me a place in Paradise’.
28. Rossini referred to his Petite messe solennelle as 'the last mortal Sin of my Old Age'.
"Dear God, here it is finished, this poor little Mass. Is this sacred music which I have written or music
of the devil? I was born for opera buffa, as you well know. A little science, a little heart, that's all. Be
blessed, then, and admit me to Paradise."