Giacomo Puccini

From Wind Repertory Project
Giacomo Puccini

Biography

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (22 December 1858, Lucca, Tuscany – 29 November 1924, Brussel, Belgium), generally known as Giacomo Puccini, was an Italian composer whose operas are among the important operas played as standards.

Puccini was given a general education at the seminary of San Michele in Lucca, and then at the seminary of the cathedral. One of Puccini's uncles, Fortunato Magi, supervised his musical education. Puccini got a diploma from the Pacini School of Music in Lucca in 1880, having studied there with his uncle Fortunato, and later with Carlo Angeloni, who had also instructed Alfredo Catalani. A grant from the Italian Queen Margherita, and assistance from another uncle, Nicholas Cerù, provided the funds necessary for Puccini to continue his studies at the Milan Conservatory, where he studied composition with Stefano Ronchetti-Monteviti, Amilcare Ponchielli, and Antonio Bazzini. Puccini studied at the conservatory for three years. In 1880, at the age of 21, Puccini composed hi sMass, which marks the culmination of his family's long association with church music in his native Lucca.

Puccini has been called "the greatest composer of Italian opera after Verdi". A performance of Verdi’s Aida made such an impression on him that he decided to pursue operatic composition and wrote twelve operas, but died before he could complete his last, Turandot. Hebecame famous for his melodic writing, dramatic harmonies and theatrical skill. Some of his arias, such as 0 Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi, Che Gelida Manina from La Bohbme, and Nessun Dorma from Turandot have become part of popular culture. While his early work was rooted in traditional late-19th-century romantic Italian opera, he successfully developed his work in the 'realistic' verismo style, of which he became one of the leading exponents.

He is not known to have written works specifically for winds.


Works for Winds


Resources