Alfredo Casella
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Alfredo Casella (25 July 18835 March 1947) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor.


Life and career

Casella was born in
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
, the son of Maria (née Bordino) and Carlo Casella. His family included many musicians: his grandfather, a friend of Paganini, was first cello in the São Carlos Theatre in
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
and eventually became soloist in the Royal Chapel in Turin. Alfredo's father, Carlo, was also a professional cellist, as were Carlo's brothers Cesare and Gioacchino; his mother was a pianist, who gave the boy his first music lessons. Alfredo entered the
Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...
in 1896 to study
piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
under
Louis Diémer Louis Joseph Diémer (14 February 1843 – 21 December 1919) was a French pianist and composer. He was the founder of the Société des Instruments Anciens in the 1890s, and also gave recitals on the harpsichord. His output as a composer was exten ...
and
composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...
under
Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. ...
; in these classes, Lazare Lévy,
George Enescu George Enescu (; – 4 May 1955), known in France as Georges Enesco, was a Romanians, Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor, teacher and statesman. He is regarded as one of the greatest musicians in Romanian history. Biography En ...
and
Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...
were among his fellow students. During his Parisian period,
Claude Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...
,
Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
and
Manuel de Falla Manuel de Falla y Matheu (, 23 November 187614 November 1946) was a Spanish composer and pianist. Along with Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tárrega, and Enrique Granados, he was one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20t ...
were acquaintances, and he was also in contact with
Ferruccio Busoni Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and teacher. His international career and reputation led him to work closely with many of the leading musicians, artists and literary ...
,
Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...
and
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...
. Casella developed a deep admiration for Debussy's output after hearing ''
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune ''Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un faune'' ( L. 86), known in English as ''Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun'', is a symphonic poem for orchestra by Claude Debussy, approximately 10 minutes in duration. It was composed in 1894 and first performed ...
'' in 1898, but pursued a more romantic vein (stemming from Strauss and Mahler) in his own writing of this period, rather than turning to impressionism. His first symphony of 1905 is from this time, and it is with this work that Casella made his debut as a conductor when he led the symphony's premiere in
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...
in 1908. Back in Italy during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, he began teaching piano at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. From 1927 to 1929 Casella was the principal conductor of the
Boston Pops The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...
, where he was succeeded by
Arthur Fiedler Arthur Fiedler (December 17, 1894 – July 10, 1979) was an American Conductor (music), conductor known for his association with both the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Pops orchestras. With a combi ...
. He was one of the best-known Italian piano virtuosos of his generation and together with Arturo Bonucci (cello) and Alberto Poltronieri (violin) he formed the Trio Italiano in 1930. This group played to great acclaim in Europe and America. His stature as a pianist and his work with the trio gave rise to some of his best-known compositions, including ''A Notte Alta'', the Sonatina, ''Nove Pezzi'', and the Six Studies, Op. 70, for piano. For the trio to play on tour, he wrote the ''Sonata a Tre'' and the Triple Concerto. Casella had his biggest success with the ballet ''La Giara'', set to a scenario by
Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italians, Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his bold and ...
; other notable works include ''Italia'', the ''Concerto Romano'' (commissioned by Rodman Wanamaker and premiered at the Wanamaker Auditorium in New York with the organ and Wanamaker collection of rare string instruments), ''Partita'' and '' Scarlattiana'' for piano and orchestra, the Violin and Cello Concerti, '' Paganiniana'', and the Concerto for Piano, Strings, Timpani and Percussion. Amongst his chamber works, both Cello Sonatas are played with some frequency, as is the very beautiful late Harp Sonata, and the music for flute and piano. Casella also made live-recording
player piano A player piano is a self-playing piano with a pneumatic or electromechanical mechanism that operates the piano action using perforated paper or metallic rolls. Modern versions use MIDI. The player piano gained popularity as mass-produced home ...
music rolls for the Aeolian Duo-Art system, all of which survive today and can be heard. In 1923, together with Gabriele D'Annunzio and
Gian Francesco Malipiero Gian Francesco Malipiero (; 18 March 1882 – 1 August 1973) was an Italian composer, musicologist, music teacher and editor. Life Early years Born in Venice into an aristocratic family, the grandson of the opera composer Francesco Malipiero, Gi ...
from
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
, he founded an association to promote the spread of modern Italian music, the "Corporation of the New Music". The resurrection of
Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...
's works in the 20th century is mostly thanks to the efforts of Casella, who in 1939 organised the now historic ''Vivaldi Week'', in which the poet
Ezra Pound Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an List of poets from the United States, American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Ita ...
was also involved. Since then Vivaldi's compositions have enjoyed almost universal success and the advent of
historically informed performance Historically informed performance (also referred to as period performance, authentic performance, or HIP) is an approach to the performance of Western classical music, classical music which aims to be faithful to the approach, manner and style of ...
has only strengthened his position. In 1947 the Venetian businessman Antonio Fanna founded the Istituto Italiano Antonio Vivaldi, with the composer Malipiero as its artistic director, to promote Vivaldi's music and put out new editions of his works. Casella's work on behalf of his Italian Baroque musical ancestors put him at the centre of the early 20th-century Neoclassical revival in music and influenced his own compositions profoundly. His editions of
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
and
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
's piano works, along with many others, proved extremely influential on the musical taste and performance style of Italian players in the following generations. The ''generazione dell'ottanta'' ("generation of the '80s"), including Casella himself, Malipiero, Respighi, Pizzetti, and
Alfano Alfano is a village and small ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. As of December 31, 2012, the comune had a population of 1082. History There is little reliable evidence on the ancient history of A ...
—all composers born around 1880, the post-
Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...
generation—concentrated on writing instrumental works, rather than operas, which Puccini and his musical forebears had specialised in. Members of this generation were the dominant figures in Italian music after Puccini's death in 1924; they had their counterparts in Italian
literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...
and
painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
. Casella, who was especially passionate about painting, accumulated an important collection of art and sculptures. He was perhaps the most "international" in outlook and stylistic influences of the ''generazione dell'ottanta'', owing at least in part to his early musical training in Paris and the circle in which he lived and worked while there. He died in Rome. Casella's students included Clotilde Coulombe, Stefan Bardas, Maria Curcio, Francesco Mander, Branka Musulin, Maurice Ohana, Robin Orr, Primož Ramovš, Nino Rota, Maria Tipo, Gaetano Giuffrè, Camillo Togni, an
Bruna Monestiroli


Marriage

He was married in Paris in 1921 to Yvonne Müller (Paris 1892 – Rome 1977). Their granddaughter is actress Daria Nicolodi and their great-granddaughter is actress Asia Argento. Casella, who identified for many years with the Fascist regime in Italy, found himself in conflict with it after the legislation of the Italian racial laws of 1938, his wife being Jewish of French origin. From 1943 he lived in constant fear of being torn from his wife and their daughter, who were subject to arrest and deportation. One evening, having been tipped off about a raid on their flat, the family split up and hid in the homes of friends, not to reassemble until the 'Jew hunt' had ended.


Works


Orchestral

* Symphony No. 1 in B minor, Op. 5 (1905–6) * Italia, Rapsodia per Orchestra, Op. 11 (1909) * Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 12 (1908–9) * Suite in C major, Op. 13 (1909–10) * Suite from the Ballet ''Le Couvent sur l'Eau'' (''Il Convento Veneziano''), Op. 19 (1912–3) * ''Pagine di Guerra'', Op. 25bis (1918) * ''Pupazzetti'', Op. 27bis (1920) * Elegia Eroica, Op. 29 (1916) * Concerto per Archi, Op. 40bis (1923–4) * La Giara, Suite Sinfonica, Op. 41bis (1924) * Serenata per piccola orchestra, Op. 46bis (1930) * Marcia Rustica, Op. 49 (1929) * ''La Donna Serpente'', Frammenti Sinfonici Seria I, Op. 50bis (1928–31) * ''La Donna Serpente'', Frammenti Sinfonici Seria II, Op. 50ter (1928–31) * Introduzione, Aria e Toccata per Orchestra, Op. 55 (1933) * Introduzione, Corale e Marcia, Op. 57 (1931–5) for Band, Piano, Double Basses and Percussion * Concerto per Orchestra, Op. 61 (1937) * Symphony No. 3, Op. 63 (1939–40) * Divertimento per Fulvia, Op. 64 (1940) * '' Paganiniana'': Divertimento per Orchestra, Op. 65 (1942) * Concerto for Strings, Piano, Timpani, and Percussion, Op. 69 (1943)


Concertante

* ''A notte alta'', for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 30bis (1921) * Partita for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 42 (1924–5) * ''Concerto Romano'' for Organ, Brass, Timpani, and Strings, Op. 43 (1926) commissioned for the Wanamaker Organ in New York * ''Scarlattiana'', for Piano and Small Orchestra, Op. 44 (1926) * Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 48 (1928) * Notturno e Tarantella for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 54 (1934) * Triple Concerto, Op. 56 (1933) * Cello Concerto, Op. 58 (1934–5)


Chamber and instrumental

* Barcarola e Scherzo for Flute and Piano, Op. 4 (1903) * Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 8 (1906) * Sicilienne et Burlesque for Flute and Piano, Op. 23 (1914) * Pagine di Guerra, Op. 25 (1915) Quattro 'films' musicali per pianoforte a quattro mani * Pupazzetti, Op. 27 Cinque Pezzi Facili per Pianoforte a Quattro Mani (1915) * Cinque Pezzi per Quartetto d'Archi, Op. 34 (1920) * Concerto per Quartetto d'Archi, Op. 40 (1923–4) * Cello Sonata No. 2 in C major, Op. 45 (1926) * Minuet from 'Scarlattiana' (1926) for Violin and Piano * Serenata per Cinque Instrumenti, Op. 46 (1927) * Cavatina and Gavotte from the `Serenata Italiana' (1927) for Violin and Piano * Prelude and Danza Siciliana from `La Giara' (1928), for Violin and Piano * Sinfonia for Piano, Violoncello, Clarinet, and Trumpet, Op. 53 (1932) * Notturno for Cello and Piano (1934) * Tarantella for Cello and Piano (1934) * Sonata a Tre (Piano Trio), Op. 62 (1938) * Harp Sonata, Op. 68 (1943)


Piano

* Pavane, Op. 1 (1902) * Variations sur une Chaconne, Op. 3 (1903) * Toccata, Op. 6 (1904) * Sarabande, Op. 10 (1908) * Notturnino (1909) * Berceuse triste, Op. 14 (1909) * Barcarola, Op. 15 (1910) * À la Manière de..., Prima Serie, Op. 17 (1911) * À la Manière de..., Seconda Serie, Op. 17bis (1914) * Nove Pezzi, Op. 24 (1914) * Sonatina, Op. 28 (1916) * A Notte Alta, Poema Musicale, Op. 30 (1917) * Deux Contrastes, Op. 31 (1916–8) * Inezie, Op. 32 (1918) * Cocktail Dance (1918) * Foxtrot per pianoforte a quattro mani (1920) * Undici Pezzi Infantili, Op. 35 (1920) * Due Canzoni Popolari Italiane, Op. 47 (1928) * Due Ricercari sul nome B-A-C-H, Op. 52 (1932) * Sinfonia, Arioso e Toccata, Op. 59 (1936) * Ricercare sul Nome Guido M. Gatti (1942) * Studio Sulle Terze Maggiori (1942) * Sei Studi, Op. 70 (1942–44) * Trois Pieces pour pianola, before 1921


Vocal

* Nuageries (1903) ean Richepin* Five Songs, Op. 2 (1902) * La Cloche Felee, Op. 7 (1904) audelaire* Trois Lyriques, Op. 9 (1905) lbert Samain, Baudelaire, Verlaine* Sonnet, Op. 16 (1910) onsard* Cinque Frammenti Sinfonici per Soprano ed Orchestra da Le Convent sur l'Eau (Il Convento Veneziano), Op. 19 (1912–4) * Notte di Maggio, for Voice and Orchestra, Op. 20 (1913) * Due Canti, Op. 21 (1913) * Deux Chansons Anciennes, Op. 22 (1912) * L'Adieu à la Vie, Op. 26 (1915) for Voice and Piano * L'Adieu à la Vie, Op. 26bis (1915/26) Quattro Liriche Funebri per Soprano ed Orchestra da Camera dal ' Gitanjali' di R. Tagore rans. A. Gide* Tre Canzoni Trecentesche, Op. 36 (1923) ino da Pistoia* La Sera Fiesolana, Op. 37 (1923) for Voice and Piano 'Annunzio* Quattro Favole Romanesche, Op. 38 (1923) rilusso* Due Liriche, Op. 39 (1923) for Voice and Piano * Tre Vocalizzi for Voice and Piano (1929) * Tre Canti Sacri for Baritone and Organ, Op. 66 (1943) * Tre Canti Sacri for Baritone and Small Orchestra, Op. 66bis (1943) * Missa Solemnis Pro Pace, Op. 71 (1944) per Soli, Coro e Orchestra


Stage

* Le Couvent sur l'Eau (Il Convento Veneziano), Op. 18 (1912–3) Ballet .-L. Vaudoyer* La Giara, Op. 41 (1924) Ballet irandello* La donna serpente, Op. 50 (1928–31) Opera, Libretto by C.V. Ludovici after C. Gozzi * La Favola d'Orfeo, Op. 51 (1932) Chamber Opera, Libretto by C. Pavolini after A. Poliziano * Il Deserto Tentato, Op. 60 (1937) Mistero in Un Atto, Libretto by Pavolini * La Camera dei Disegni (Balletto per Fulvia), Op. 64 (1940) Ballet * La Rosa del Sogno, Op. 67 (1943) Ballet, partly after Paganiniana, Op. 65


Writings

* ''The Evolution of Music Throughout the History of the Perfect Cadence'' (London, 1924) * ''Igor Strawinsky'' (Rome, 1926; Alfredo Casella, Strawinski, new edition ed. by Benedetta Saglietti e Giangiorgio Satragni, preface Quirino Principe, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2016) * ''...21 + 26'', an Autobiography (Rome, 1931) * ''Il Pianoforte'' (Rome–Milan, 1937) * ''La Tecnica dell'Orchestra Contemporanea'' (Rome and New York, 1950) * ''I Segreti della Giara'', Original Italian Edition of Casella's Autobiography (Florence, 1941) * ''Music in My Time'', Autobiography, English Edition by Spencer Norton (Norman, Oklahoma, 1955) * Plus numerous articles in musical journals


Recordings

*
Piano rolls A piano roll is a music storage medium used to operate a player piano, piano player or reproducing piano. Piano rolls, like other music rolls, are continuous rolls of paper with holes punched into them. These perforations represent note control d ...
listed at The Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation The Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation
''www.rprf.org''


References


Further reading

*


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Casella, Alfredo 1883 births 1947 deaths Musicians from Turin Academic staff of Conservatorio Santa Cecilia Conservatoire de Paris alumni Academic staff of the Conservatoire de Paris Italian classical composers Neoclassical composers Italian male opera composers Italian ballet composers Italian male classical pianists Italian male conductors (music) 20th-century Italian composers 20th-century male composers 20th-century Italian conductors (music) 20th-century Italian classical pianists 20th-century Italian male musicians Members of the International Composers' Guild Argento family Conductors of the Boston Pops