Giovanni Bolzoni
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Bolzoni was an Italian
composer and violinist, who is known for his Minuet for String Orchestra.
, Bolzoni studied at the Parma Conservatory. He was the violinist in an orchestra in Savona
, then after six years became its concertmaster
and conductor. This was followed by three years in Perugia
as conductor and director of the Istituto Morlacchi. In 1887, he became director of the Istituto Musicale, concertmaster at the Teatro Regio
and of the Concerti Popolari.
Bolzoni was the long-time director of the conservatory of music in Turin
. Among his notable pupils were composers Carlo Adolfo Cantù
and Edgard Varèse
.
In 1884, he conducted the premiere of the revised version of Puccini
's opera Le Villi
.
Bolzoni died in Turin
.
, 1881). He also wrote Tema con variazioni for string orchestra, Al Castello medioevale for small orchestra, a string quartet, quartets, quintets, and violin pieces.
performed some of Bolzoni's music; two 1943 performances with the NBC Symphony Orchestra
have been preserved on disc. In 1958, Arthur Fiedler
and the Boston Pops Orchestra
recorded Bolzoni's Minuet for RCA Victor as part of the Boston Tea Party album, which was later issued on CD. The work has also been recorded by Frederick Fennell
and the London Pops Orchestra for Mercury Records
and Neeme Järvi
and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
for Chandos Records
.
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...
composer and violinist, who is known for his Minuet for String Orchestra.
Biography
Born in ParmaParma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, Bolzoni studied at the Parma Conservatory. He was the violinist in an orchestra in Savona
Savona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
, then after six years became its concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
and conductor. This was followed by three years in Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
as conductor and director of the Istituto Morlacchi. In 1887, he became director of the Istituto Musicale, concertmaster at the Teatro Regio
Teatro Regio
Teatro Regio may refer to two opera houses in Italy:*Teatro Regio di Parma*Teatro Regio di TorinoIt may also be a reference to the 18th-century opera house in Milan that is now replaced by La Scala:*Teatro Regio Ducal...
and of the Concerti Popolari.
Bolzoni was the long-time director of the conservatory of music in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. Among his notable pupils were composers Carlo Adolfo Cantù
Carlo Adolfo Cantù
Carlo Adolfo Cantù was an Italian composer. He studied music composition at the Turin Conservatory with Giovanni Bolzoni and is best known for his opera Ettore Fieramosca which premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 1921....
and Edgard Varèse
Edgard Varèse
Edgard Victor Achille Charles Varèse, , whose name was also spelled Edgar Varèse , was an innovative French-born composer who spent the greater part of his career in the United States....
.
In 1884, he conducted the premiere of the revised version of 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...
's opera Le Villi
Le Villi
Le Villi is an opera-ballet in two acts composed by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Ferdinando Fontana, based on the short story Les Willis by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr. Karr's story was in turn based in the Central European legend of the Willis, also used in the ballet Giselle...
.
Bolzoni died in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
.
Compositions
Besides the popular Minuet, Bolzoni composed the operas Il matrimonio civile (premiered in Parma, 1870), La Stella delle Alpi (Savona, 1876), and Jella (PiacenzaPiacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
, 1881). He also wrote Tema con variazioni for string orchestra, Al Castello medioevale for small orchestra, a string quartet, quartets, quintets, and violin pieces.
Recordings
Arturo ToscaniniArturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
performed some of Bolzoni's music; two 1943 performances with the NBC Symphony Orchestra
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
have been preserved on disc. In 1958, Arthur Fiedler
Arthur Fiedler
Arthur Fiedler was a long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a symphony orchestra that specializes in popular and light classical music. With a combination of musicianship and showmanship, he made the Boston Pops one of the best-known orchestras in the country...
and the Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
recorded Bolzoni's Minuet for RCA Victor as part of the Boston Tea Party album, which was later issued on CD. The work has also been recorded by Frederick Fennell
Frederick Fennell
Frederick Fennell was an internationally recognized conductor, and one of the primary figures in promoting the wind ensemble as a performing group. He was also influential as a band pedagogue, and greatly affected the field of music education in the USA and abroad...
and the London Pops Orchestra for Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and Neeme Järvi
Neeme Järvi
Neeme Järvi is an Estonian-born conductor.-Early life:Järvi studied music first in Tallinn, and later in Leningrad at the Leningrad Conservatory under Yevgeny Mravinsky, and Nikolai Rabinovich, among others...
and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
for Chandos Records
Chandos Records
Chandos Records is an independent classical music recording company based in Colchester, Essex, in the United Kingdom, founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.- Background :...
.