Péchés de vieillesse
Encyclopedia
In Gioachino Rossini's Péchés de vieillesse ("Sins of Old Age"), the opera composer gathered together 150 vocal and solo piano pieces into fourteen unpublished albums, under his self-deprecating and ironic title. The grouping of pieces in albums do not reflect the sequence or the dates of their composition, which ranged from 1857 to shortly before his death in 1868. The title Péchés de vieillesse was given by Rossini only to volumes V-IX, but it has since been extended to the complete set.
The Péchés de vieillesse are salon music
, though of a refined order, meant to be performed in the privacy of Rossini's drawing room at Passy
. Volumes I, II, III and XI are vocal music to piano accompaniment. Volumes IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, X and XII are music for solo piano. Volume IX is for chamber ensemble or solo piano. Volumes XIII and XIV comprise vocal and non-vocal music.
Critical editions of all the albums are in process of publication by the Fondazione Rossini, Pesaro, which conserves the original autograph manuscripts; they are distributed by the University of Chicago
. The new editions restore Rossini's expressively precise musical notation and offer heretofore unpublished alternative versions of some Péchés.
After the composer's death in 1868, his widow, Olympe Pélissier, sold the entire collection, which was then auctioned in London, in 1878. The Société anonyme de publications périodique, Paris, was among the buyers, who sold publishing rights to the firm of Heugel. The edition was prepared by Auguste-Edouard Vaucorbeil (1821–1884), director of the Paris Opéra, who reordered the pieces and gave them new picturesque titles, as Rossini's often nonsensical titles, which looked forward to Erik Satie
's, were deemed unsuitable.
orchestrated a number of the piano pieces for the ballet La Boutique fantasque
. In 1925, he arranged some more piano pieces, from Vol. XII (Quelques riens), as the orchestral suite Rossiniana
.
The Péchés de vieillesse are salon music
Salon music
Salon music was a popular music genre in Europe during the 19th century. It was usually written for solo piano in the romantic style, and often performed by the composer at events known as "Salons". Salon compositions are usually fairly short and often focus on virtuoso pianistic display or...
, though of a refined order, meant to be performed in the privacy of Rossini's drawing room at Passy
Passy
Passy is an area of Paris, France, located in the XVIe arrondissement, on the Right Bank. It is traditionally home to many of the city's wealthiest residents.Passy was formerly a commune...
. Volumes I, II, III and XI are vocal music to piano accompaniment. Volumes IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, X and XII are music for solo piano. Volume IX is for chamber ensemble or solo piano. Volumes XIII and XIV comprise vocal and non-vocal music.
- Vol I Album italiano
- Vol II Album français
- Vol III Morceaux réservés
- Vol IV Quatre hors d’œuvres et quatre mendiants
- Vol V Album pour les enfants adolescents
- Vol VI Album pour les enfants dégourdis
- Vol VII Album de chaumière
- Vol VIII Album de château
- Vol IX Album pour piano, violon, violoncello, harmonium et cor
- Vol X Miscellanée pour piano
- Vol XI Miscellanée de musique vocale
- Vol XII Quelques riens pour album
- Vol XIII Musique anodine (1857). Presented to his wife Olympe in gratitude for her care during his long intermittent illness.
- Vol XIV Altri Péchés de vieillesse
Critical editions of all the albums are in process of publication by the Fondazione Rossini, Pesaro, which conserves the original autograph manuscripts; they are distributed by the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. The new editions restore Rossini's expressively precise musical notation and offer heretofore unpublished alternative versions of some Péchés.
After the composer's death in 1868, his widow, Olympe Pélissier, sold the entire collection, which was then auctioned in London, in 1878. The Société anonyme de publications périodique, Paris, was among the buyers, who sold publishing rights to the firm of Heugel. The edition was prepared by Auguste-Edouard Vaucorbeil (1821–1884), director of the Paris Opéra, who reordered the pieces and gave them new picturesque titles, as Rossini's often nonsensical titles, which looked forward to Erik Satie
Erik Satie
Éric Alfred Leslie Satie was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde...
's, were deemed unsuitable.
Arrangements
in 1918, Ottorino RespighiOttorino Respighi
Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer, musicologist and conductor. He is best known for his orchestral "Roman trilogy": Fountains of Rome ; Pines of Rome ; and Roman Festivals...
orchestrated a number of the piano pieces for the ballet La Boutique fantasque
La Boutique fantasque
La Boutique fantasque or The Magic Toy Shop was a ballet conceived by Léonide Massine who wrote the choreography and the libretto. Ottorino Respighi wrote the music based on piano pieces by Gioachino Rossini. Its world premiere was at the Alhambra Theatre in London on 5 June 1919 and was performed...
. In 1925, he arranged some more piano pieces, from Vol. XII (Quelques riens), as the orchestral suite Rossiniana
Rossiniana
Rossiniana, P. 148, is a 1925 orchestral suite by Ottorino Respighi, based on four piano pieces by Gioachino Rossini.Respighi had written the ballet La Boutique fantasque for Léonide Massine in 1919, basing it on short piano pieces by Rossini, from his collection Péchés de vieillesse...
.