Alfredo Casella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfredo Casella
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| Background information | |
| Born | 25 July 1883 Turin, Italy |
| Died | 5 March 1947 (aged 63) Rome, Italy |
| Genres | Classical neo-classical |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, pianist, conductor |
| Instruments | Piano |
Alfredo Casella (born July 25, 1883 – died March 5, 1947) was an Italian composer, pianist, and conductor. He was known for his beautiful music and for helping to bring back old Italian music.
Contents
Life and Career
Alfredo Casella was born in Turin, Italy. His family was full of musicians! His grandfather was a famous cello player. Alfredo's father and uncles also played the cello, and his mother was a pianist. She gave him his first music lessons.
Early Studies in Paris
In 1896, Alfredo went to the Conservatoire de Paris in France. He studied piano with Louis Diémer and composition with Gabriel Fauré. Some of his classmates became famous musicians too, like George Enescu and Maurice Ravel. While in Paris, he also met other important composers such as Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky.
Alfredo really liked Debussy's music. But in his own early works, he wrote in a more romantic style, like composers Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler. His first symphony was written in 1905. Casella first showed his skills as a conductor when he led this symphony in 1908.
Return to Italy and New Roles
During World War I, Casella moved back to Italy. He started teaching piano at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. From 1927 to 1929, he was the main conductor for the Boston Pops Orchestra. He was a very famous Italian piano player of his time.
In 1930, he formed a music group called the Trio Italiano. He played piano, Arturo Bonucci played cello, and Alberto Poltronieri played violin. They performed all over Europe and America. Casella wrote some of his best-known pieces for piano and for this trio. These include A Notte Alta and the Sonata a Tre.
Important Compositions
One of Casella's biggest successes was his ballet called La Giara. A ballet is a story told through dance and music. He also wrote other important pieces like Italia and Paganiniana. He wrote concertos for violin, cello, and piano. A concerto is a piece for a solo instrument with an orchestra. His cello sonatas and harp sonata are still played often today.
In 1923, Casella helped start a group called the "Corporation of the New Music." This group worked to share modern Italian music with more people.
Bringing Back Vivaldi
Alfredo Casella played a huge part in bringing back the music of Antonio Vivaldi. Vivaldi was a famous Italian composer from the 1700s. In 1939, Casella organized a special event called Vivaldi Week. Because of his efforts, Vivaldi's music became very popular again. This also influenced Casella's own music, making him a leader in the "Neoclassical" style. This style looked back to older music for inspiration.
Casella also edited piano works by famous composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. These editions helped new generations of Italian musicians learn and play these pieces.
The "Generation of '80"
Casella was part of a group of Italian composers born around 1880. They were called the generazione dell'ottanta ("generation of '80"). Unlike earlier Italian composers who focused on operas, this group wrote more instrumental music. They became very important in Italian music after the death of Giacomo Puccini in 1924.
Casella loved painting and collected many artworks. He was known for having a very "international" style. This was partly because he studied music in Paris and met many different artists there. He passed away in Rome.
His Students and Family
Alfredo Casella taught many students who became successful musicians. Some of them include Nino Rota and Maria Tipo.
He married Yvonne Müller in Paris in 1921. Their granddaughter is the actress Daria Nicolodi, and their great-granddaughter is the actress Asia Argento.
Works
Alfredo Casella wrote many different kinds of music. Here are some of the main types:
Orchestral Music
He wrote several symphonies and other pieces for a full orchestra. Some examples include:
- Symphony No. 1
- Italia, a Rhapsody for Orchestra
- Paganiniana, a Divertimento for Orchestra
Concertos
Casella composed concertos for various instruments with orchestra:
- A notte alta, for Piano and Orchestra
- Scarlattiana, for Piano and Small Orchestra
- Violin Concerto
- Cello Concerto
Chamber and Instrumental Music
He wrote music for smaller groups of instruments, like trios and quartets:
- Cello Sonata No. 1 and No. 2
- Cinque Pezzi per Quartetto d'Archi (Five Pieces for String Quartet)
- Harp Sonata
Piano Music
As a skilled pianist, Casella wrote many pieces for solo piano:
- Toccata
- Nove Pezzi (Nine Pieces)
- Sonatina
- A Notte Alta, a Musical Poem
Vocal Music
He also wrote music for voices, sometimes with piano or orchestra:
- Five Songs
- Notte di Maggio (May Night), for Voice and Orchestra
- Missa Solemnis Pro Pace (Solemn Mass for Peace)
Stage Works
Casella composed music for ballets and operas:
- Le Couvent sur l'Eau (The Convent on the Water), a ballet
- La Giara (The Jar), a ballet
- La Donna Serpente (The Serpent Woman), an opera
Writings
Besides composing, Casella also wrote books and articles about music. Some of his writings include:
- The Evolution of Music Throughout the History of the Perfect Cadence
- Igor Strawinsky (about Igor Stravinsky)
- Music in My Time, his autobiography
See Also
In Spanish: Alfredo Casella para niños
