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With the French we had a robust 19th Century presence in their first round of the World Cup of Composers. Now we move to the Italians.
While the Italians were certainly vigorous in the 19th Century, it was the Italian Style that dominated European music from the Renaissance to Mozart. The Italians weren’t messing around when it came to their music.
Take the case of Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere. This piece of music was only to be performed in the Sistine Chapel during specific services. Writing this music down or performing it outside The Vatican was punishable by excommunication.
When Mozart was 14 years-old he visited Rome to learn the Italian Style, heard the Miserere on Wednesday and wrote it down from memory after the service was over. He returned on Friday to correct a few errors.
During his travels across Europe, Mozart met an Englishman to whom he gave the Miserere. The English published the piece in 1771. The English had no fear of being excommunicated. However, Mozart was summoned to Rome by The Pope.
The Pope skipped the punishment and chose to praise the teenage Mozart for his feat of musical genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh31j6L95Ok
As interesting as this story is, Allegri won’t be competing in the World Cup of Composers.
Here are the 12 Italians competing for the Italian draw:
Bellini, Corelli, Donizetti, Palestrina, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Monteverdi, Vivaldi, and Pergolesi.
Gesualdo could have participated but he was, much like the former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez, detained by murder charges.
The Scarlatti’s, father and son, would not compete individually.
Umberto Giordano should have been included based on his excellent operas Andrea Chenier and Fedora. However, the rules committed didn’t know how to handle Giordano since he didn’t use a key signature in his compositions.
Who knows what will happen in the Italian pool? Could “the fix” be in or will it be a fair fight?
With the French we had a robust 19th Century presence in their first round of the World Cup of Composers. Now we move to the Italians.
While the Italians were certainly vigorous in the 19th Century, it was the Italian Style that dominated European music from the Renaissance to Mozart. The Italians weren’t messing around when it came to their music.
Take the case of Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere. This piece of music was only to be performed in the Sistine Chapel during specific services. Writing this music down or performing it outside The Vatican was punishable by excommunication.
When Mozart was 14 years-old he visited Rome to learn the Italian Style, heard the Miserere on Wednesday and wrote it down from memory after the service was over. He returned on Friday to correct a few errors.
During his travels across Europe, Mozart met an Englishman to whom he gave the Miserere. The English published the piece in 1771. The English had no fear of being excommunicated. However, Mozart was summoned to Rome by The Pope.
The Pope skipped the punishment and chose to praise the teenage Mozart for his feat of musical genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh31j6L95Ok
As interesting as this story is, Allegri won’t be competing in the World Cup of Composers.
Here are the 12 Italians competing for the Italian draw:
Bellini, Corelli, Donizetti, Palestrina, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Monteverdi, Vivaldi, and Pergolesi.
Gesualdo could have participated but he was, much like the former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez, detained by murder charges.
The Scarlatti’s, father and son, would not compete individually.
Umberto Giordano should have been included based on his excellent operas Andrea Chenier and Fedora. However, the rules committed didn’t know how to handle Giordano since he didn’t use a key signature in his compositions.
Who knows what will happen in the Italian pool? Could “the fix” be in or will it be a fair fight?