Biography of Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)

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29.02.1792

Born in Pesaro being son of two professional musicians (father played French horn and was at the same time inspector of the urban slaughterhouse, the mother was a singer.)

1798

Grows up with his grandmother, while his parents work as travelling musicians

1801

Horn lessons from his father, besides that studying piano and viola

1804

Six quartets, originally for two violins, cello and double bass

1805

Moving to Bologna, composition lessons from Padre Angelo Tesei

1806

Studies in Bologna: cello, piano and counter point.

1810

Premiere of his first opera "La cambiale die Matrimonio" in Venice

1813

Breakthrough with the opera "Tancredi"

1816

Contractual obligation at the Royal theatres in Naples

1822

Marries soprano Isabella Colbran

1823

Visits in London and Paris

1824

Premieur Compositieur of king Karl X. in Paris and inspector for singing for whole France

1827

His mother dies

1830

Retreats from the opera due to the political change, a legal dispute with the new government and because of a change in the musical taste of the time

1831

Separates from his wife, nervous crisis

1832

Meets Olympe Pélissier his later second wife

1836

Travels through Beldium and Germany, meeting with Mendelssohn

1837

Formal separation from his wife, meeting with Liszt

20.04.1839

His father dies

1845

Death of his first wife

1846

Head of the Liceo Musicale

16.08.1846

Marries Olympe Pélissier

1848

Move to Florence due to political reasons

1849

Ongoing depression and illness

1851

Sells possessions in Bologna

26.04.1855

Final return to France

1857

Enhancement of his health, composition of the age sins

18.12.1858

First of a row of saturday evening events of the Rossinis

1860

Visit of Richard Wagner and Hanslik at Rossinis

1866

Liszt visits Rossini

13.11.1868

Dies in Passy near Paris.

Rossini was of great influence on other composers, among them Schubert. He was the musical idol of the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

Further information/Sources:

• → Gioacchino Rossini bei Wikipedia
• → CDs by/of Gioacchino Rossini bei JPC (mit Hörproben)
• → Music by/with Gioacchino Rossini at amazon.de

Sheet music for flute:

6 Quartette - Heft 1: Nos. 1-3 (Bearbeitung)

(flute, clarinet in H flat, bassoon, horn in F)

Schott Verlag, ED 3164

Rating: difficult

1. No. I (Allegro moderato - Andante - Rondo Allegro)
2. No. II (Moderato - Andante - Allegro)
3. No. III (Allegro - Andante - Allegretto)

Only parts. Originally for two violins, cello and double bass, this version for winds by Friedrich Berr was published 1828/29 in Paris and Mainz.

From a musical point of view this might be light fare. For the player it is a really hard to job to make it sound easy.

Andante con Variazioni (G-Dur)

(flute, harp)

Salvi Publications, 10070

Rating: mid-grade

Andante und Allegro (D-Dur)

(flute, piano)

Eulenburg, GM 209

Rating: mid-grade

1. Andante molto
2. Allegro

Beliebte Stücke aus Rossinis Opern (Sammlung)

(2 flutes)

Universal Edition, UE 19502

Rating: easy

1. Tancredi
2. Il turco in Italia
3. La gazza ladra
4. Elisabetta

Score

Der Barbier von Sevilla (Bearbeitung)

(2 flutes)

Universal Edition, UE 16 742

Rating: mid-grade

1. Ouverture
2. Cavatina (Sieh schon die Morgenröte)
3. Cavatina (Ich bin das Faktotum der schönen Welt)
4. Duetto (Strahlt auf mich der Blitz des Goldes)
5. Cavatina (Frag ich mein beklomm'nes Herz)
6. Duetto (Also ich? meinst du es wirklich?)
7. Quintetto (Wohl zu ruhen wird Sie stärken)
8. Aria (Sich vermählen will der Alte)
9. FInale (Nur Mut und List und Liebe)

Only parts.

The opera was written in 1816.

Der Barbier von Sevilla - Ouvertüre zur Oper (E-Dur)

(piccolo, oboe, bassoon)

Uetz, BU 5917

Rating: easy

1. Andante maestoso

Parts and score

Flötenquartett I (G-Dur)

(flute, violin, viola, cello)

Edition Kunzelmann, GM 199

Rating: mid-grade

1. Moderato
2. Andante
3. Rondo Allegro

Originally for two violins, cello and double bass, this edition was first published in 1828/29 in Paris and Mainz.

Flötenquartett III (B-Dur)

(flute, violin, viola, cello)

Edition Kunzelmann, GM 183

Rating: mid-grade

1. Allegro vivace
2. Andante
3. Allegretto

Only parts, no score. Originally for two violins, cello and double bass, this edition was published in 1828.

Flötenquartett IV (D-Dur)

(flute, violin, viola, cello)

Edition Kunzelmann, GM 200

Rating: difficult

1. Allegro spiritoso
2. Andante assai
3. Allegro tempesta

Only parts, no score.

Everybody knowing the woodwind quartets will recognize the melodies. Here the flute part is very dominant like in a solo concerto.

Katzen-Duett (d-moll) (Bearbeitung)

(flute, clarinet in H flat, piano)

Phoenix Music, PM9079

Rating: easy

1. Adagio (ma non troppo)

From the series Tea Junction. Probably made for music students. A quite cheap paper put together in a plastic cover. It is a cheap edition though.

La Cambiale di Matrimonio (Bearbeitung)

(flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn)

Masters Music Publications

Rating: mid-grade

Score and parts.

The opera this quintet is made of, was written by Rossini at the age of 18.

Sechs Quartette - Heft 2: (IV - VI) (Bearbeitung)

(flute, clarinet In B flat and A, bassoon, horn in F)

Schott Verlag, ED 3165

Rating: difficult

1. No. IV (Allegro vivace - Andante - Rondo Allegretto)
2. No. V (Allegro spiritoso - Andante assai - Rondo)
3. No. VI (Andante - Thema Allegretto mit 5 Var. und Finale)

I love all of those six quartets.

Originally for Streichquartett.

Serenata (Es-Dur)

(flute, oboe, english horn, 2 violins, viola, cello)

Ut Orpheus Edizioni, ACC. 37A

Rating: mid-grade

1. Andante

Only score

CDs with/from Gioacchino Rossini

Ma'alot Quintett

Gioacchino Rossini - Harmoniemusik for Wind Quintet (2009)

La Cenerentola - Tancredi

Dabringhaus und Grimm

Tancredi:
1. Sinfonia (05:22:00)
2. Introduzione e Cavatina (Amenaide) (04:18:00)
3. Cavatina (Tancredi) "Di tanti palpiti" (04:36:00)
4. Finale Primo (05:47:00)
5. Scena (Amenaide) (02:27:00)
6. Coro "Plaudite o popoli" (02:29:00)
7. Duetto "Lasciami" (06:33:00)
8. Aria (Roggiero) "Torni al fin ridente" (02:10:00)
9. Finale Secondo (01:18:00)
La Cenerentola:
10. Sinfonia (07:56:00)
11. Canzone "Miei rampolli feminini" e Duetto "Un soave non so che" (04:19:00)
12. Quintetto "Signore, una parola" (04:29:00)
13. Aria (Don Ramiro) "Si, ritrovarla io giuro" (04:21:00)
14. Canzone "Miei rampolli feminini" e Temporale (05:25:00)
15. Finale (05:25:00)

Consortium Classicum

Gioacchino Rossini - Sechs Quartette (1986)

Dabringhaus und Grimm

Quartett Nr. 1 F-Dur:
1. I. Allegro moderato (04:48:00)
2. II. Andante (03:36:00)
3. III. Rondo (02:21:00)
Quartett Nr. 2 G-Dur:
4. I. Moderato (06:41:00)
5. II. Andante (02:59:00)
6. III. Allegro (02:13:00)
Quartett Nr. 3 F-Dur:
7. I. Allegro (07:06:00)
8. II. Andante (02:42:00)
9. III. Allegretto (03:16:00)
Quartett Nr. 4 B-Dur:
10. I. Allegro vivace (06:07:00)
11. II. Andante (03:16:00)
12. III. Rondo (02:16:00)
Quartett Nr. 5 D-Dur:
13. I. Allegro spirituoso (06:58:00)
14. II. Andante assai (02:18:00)
15. III. Rondo  (03:10:00)
Quartett Nr. 6 F-Dur:
16. I. Andante (03:46:00)
17. II. Thema und Variationen (Allegretto) (05:45:00)

James Galway, Kazuhito Yamashita

Italian Serenade (1994)

Giuliani - Cimarosa - Paganini - Rossini - Bazzini

RCA Victor

Mauro Giuliani: Grand duo concertant, Op. 85:
1. Allegro maestoso (06:29:00)
2. Andante molto sostenuto (04:43:00)
3. Scherzo (03:07:00)
4. Allegretto espressivo (05:05:00)
Domenico Cimarosa: Serenade:
5. Larghetto (04:56:00)
6. Allegro (01:37:00)
7. Largo (alla siciliana) (02:32:00)
8. Allegro giusto (02:22:00)
Niccolo Paganini: Sonata concertata:
9. Allegro spiritoso (07:17:00)
10. Adagio assai espressivo (04:21:00)
11. Rondeau - Allegretto con brio - Scherzando (02:01:00)
12. Gioacchino Rossini: Andante con variazioni in F-Dur (04:30:00)
13. Antonio Bazzini: La ronde des lutins, Op. 25 (05:52:00)

Marie-Christine Amann, Michel Roublot

Variations - Art &Virtuosite

PakProd

1. Paul-Agricole Génin: Air Napolitain - Theme & variations (00:00:00)
2. Frederick Chopin: Sur un theme de Cendrillon, opera de Rossini, Variations 1,2,3 & 4 (00:00:00)
3. Theobald Böhm: Variations brillantes sur un air suisse Theme & variations 1,2 & 3, Adagio & Variation 4 (00:00:00)
4. Paul-Agricole Génin: Carnaval de Venise op. 14 Theme & variations 1,2,3,5,6 & 8 (00:00:00)
5. Gioacchino Rossini: Sonate dite opera, extrait de Cendrillon. Theme et variation (00:00:00)
6. Friedrich Kuhlau: Air irlandais - la Derniere rose de l'ete. Theme et variations 1,4,5,6 & 7 (00:00:00)
7. Francois Borne: Fantaisie brillante sur Carmen de G. Bizet  (00:00:00)
8. Théodore Gouvy: Introduction & Polonaise (00:00:00)

Das war ein Geschenk des Institut Theodore Gouvy. Die anderen Werke sind alle mehr oder weniger gut bekannt. Virtuose Flötenmusik, schön gespielt.

Literature von/über Gioacchino Rossini

• Adorján, András:  Lexikon der Flöte
  Flöteninstrumente und ihre Baugeschichte - Spielpraxis - Komponisten und ihre Werke - Interpreten
  1. edition Laaber: Laaber-Verlag,
  2009. - ISBN: 978-3-89007-545-7
• Keitel, Wilhelm:  Gioachino Rossini
  1. edition Albrecht Knaus,
  1992. - ISBN: 3-8135-0364-X
• Kramer, Lawrende:  Why classical Music still matters
  10. edition Berkeley: University of California Press,
  2016. - ISBN: 978-0-520-25803-7
• Schmierer, Elisabeth:  Komponisten-Porträts
  Bilder und Daten
  Stuttgart: Reclam,
  2003. - ISBN: 3-15-018268-9
• Tonger, P. J.:  Conversations-Lexikon der Tonkunst
  Beilage der Neuen Musikzeitung
  Köln: Wilhelm Hassel,
  1910.