Antonio Bazzini
Encyclopedia
Antonio Joseph Bazzini was an Italian
violinist, composer and teacher. As a composer his most enduring work is his chamber music
which has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century. However his success as a composer was outstretched by his reputation as one of the finest concert violinists of the nineteenth century. He also contributed to a portion of Messa per Rossini
, specifically the first section of II. Sequentia, Dies Irae
.
. As a young boy, he was a pupil of Faustino Camisani. At 17 he was appointed organist of a church in his native town. The following year he met Paganini
and became completely influenced by that master's art and style. Paganini encouraged Bazzini to begin his concert career that year and he quickly became one of the most highly regarded artists of his time. From 1841 to 1845 he lived in Germany, where he was much admired by Schumann
both as a violinist and a composer, as well as by Mendelssohn
(Bazzini gave the first private performance of his Violin Concerto
). After a short stay in Denmark in 1845, Bazzini returned to Brescia to teach and compose. In 1846 he played in Naples
and Palermo
. In 1849–1850 he toured Spain and from 1852 to 1863 lived in Paris
. He ended his concert career with a tour of the Netherlands
in 1864.
Returning once more to Brescia, Bazzini devoted himself to composition, gradually abandoning the virtuoso opera fantasias and character-pieces (such as the well-known La ronde des lutins, Elégie
and Le muletier), which had formed a large part of his earlier work. He composed an opera, Turanda, in 1867 and produced a number of dramatic cantatas, sacred works, concert overtures, and symphonic poems over the next two decades. However, his greatest success as a composer was with his chamber music compositions. In 1868 he became president of the Società dei Concerti in Brescia, and was active in promoting and composing for quartet societies in Italy. In 1873 he became composition professor at the Milan Conservatory
, where he taught Catalani
, Mascagni
, Pizzi
, and Puccini
, and later became the school's director in 1882. Bazzini died in Milan on 10 February 1897.
. His most enduring work is his chamber music, which is written in the classic forms of the German school and has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century. Of particular note is his String Quartet No. 1, which won the Milan Quartet Society's first prize in 1864. His music is characterized by a highly virtuosic technique that is expressive without too much sentiment.
Artists who have recorded his music include Chloë Hanslip
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
violinist, composer and teacher. As a composer his most enduring work is his chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
which has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century. However his success as a composer was outstretched by his reputation as one of the finest concert violinists of the nineteenth century. He also contributed to a portion of Messa per Rossini
Messa per Rossini
The Messa per Rossini is a Requiem Mass composed to commemorate the first anniversary of Gioachino Rossini's death. It was a collaboration between 13 Italian composers, initiated by Giuseppe Verdi...
, specifically the first section of II. Sequentia, Dies Irae
Dies Irae
Dies Irae is a thirteenth century Latin hymn thought to be written by Thomas of Celano . It is a medieval Latin poem characterized by its accentual stress and its rhymed lines. The metre is trochaic...
.
Biography
Bazzini was born at BresciaBrescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
. As a young boy, he was a pupil of Faustino Camisani. At 17 he was appointed organist of a church in his native town. The following year he met Paganini
Niccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique...
and became completely influenced by that master's art and style. Paganini encouraged Bazzini to begin his concert career that year and he quickly became one of the most highly regarded artists of his time. From 1841 to 1845 he lived in Germany, where he was much admired by Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
both as a violinist and a composer, as well as by Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
(Bazzini gave the first private performance of his Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto (Mendelssohn)
Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 is his last large orchestral work. It forms an important part of the violin repertoire and is one of the most popular and most frequently performed violin concertos of all time...
). After a short stay in Denmark in 1845, Bazzini returned to Brescia to teach and compose. In 1846 he played in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
. In 1849–1850 he toured Spain and from 1852 to 1863 lived in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He ended his concert career with a tour of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1864.
Returning once more to Brescia, Bazzini devoted himself to composition, gradually abandoning the virtuoso opera fantasias and character-pieces (such as the well-known La ronde des lutins, Elégie
Élégie
Élégie is a ballet made by New York City Ballet's founding balletmaster George Balanchine to Igor Stravinsky's Élégie for solo viola...
and Le muletier), which had formed a large part of his earlier work. He composed an opera, Turanda, in 1867 and produced a number of dramatic cantatas, sacred works, concert overtures, and symphonic poems over the next two decades. However, his greatest success as a composer was with his chamber music compositions. In 1868 he became president of the Società dei Concerti in Brescia, and was active in promoting and composing for quartet societies in Italy. In 1873 he became composition professor at the Milan Conservatory
Milan Conservatory
The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premises in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,...
, where he taught Catalani
Alfredo Catalani
Alfredo Catalani was an Italian operatic composer. He is best remembered for his operas Loreley and La Wally...
, Mascagni
Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music...
, Pizzi
Emilio Pizzi
Emilio Pizzi was an Italian composer. His output of works include 10 operas, a ballet, an oratorio, and numerous vocal and chamber works....
, and Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
, and later became the school's director in 1882. Bazzini died in Milan on 10 February 1897.
Music
Bazzini was one of the most highly regarded artists of his time and influenced the great opera composer Giacomo PucciniGiacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
. His most enduring work is his chamber music, which is written in the classic forms of the German school and has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century. Of particular note is his String Quartet No. 1, which won the Milan Quartet Society's first prize in 1864. His music is characterized by a highly virtuosic technique that is expressive without too much sentiment.
Artists who have recorded his music include Chloë Hanslip
Chloe Hanslip
Chloë Elise Hanslip is a British violinist.Chloë was born in Guildford, Surrey and has been playing the violin since she was two. At the age of four she performed solo at the Purcell Room. When she was five she performed for Yehudi Menuhin and subsequently, at his invitation, studied with Natasha...
.
Selected works
- The Dance Of The Goblins (La Ronde des Lutins), Scherzo fantastique, Op. 25 (1852)
- Francesca da RiminiFrancesca da RiminiFrancesca da Rimini or Francesca da Polenta was the daughter of Guido da Polenta, lord of Ravenna. She was a historical contemporary of Dante Alighieri, who portrayed her as a character in the Divine Comedy.-Arranged marriage:...
, symphonic poem, Op. 77 (Berlin, 1889/90) - String Quartet No. 1 in C major, WoO, (1864)
- String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 75 (1877)
- String Quartet No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 76 (1878)
- String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 79 (1888)
- String Quartet No. 5 in C minor, Op. 80 (1891)
- String Quartet No. 6 in F major, Op. 82 (1892)
- String Quintet in A major for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos, WoO. (1866)
Operas
- Il silfo e l'innamorato, (Milan, 1865)
- Turanda (Milan, La ScalaLa ScalaLa Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, 13 January 1867)
External links
- Antonio Bazzini String Quartet Nos.1, 3 & 5 sound-bites and short biography
- Itzhak Perlman performing The Dance Of The Goblins (La Ronde des Lutins), Scherzo fantastique, Op. 25
Sources
- Giovanni Carli Ballola/Roberta Montemorra Marvin: "Antonio Bazzini", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed November 21, 2008), (subscription access)