Amy Beach (UK)

(Henniker 1867 - New York 1944)

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, pianist and composer, was the first American woman to write a symphony entitled Sinfonia Gaelica. Her mother was a pianist, and she immediately noticed her daughter's great talent, but she disapproved of her; since the age of two Amy knew musical writing and was able to improvise; At four she composed her first piece, and at seven, she performed in public, performing pieces by Handel, Beethoven, Chopin and her own compositions. However, her mother continued to hinder her prodigy, preventing Amy from using the piano; she was thus forced to play her little compositions on an imaginary keyboard.

When she was eight, the family moved to Boston; Amy began taking piano, harmony, counterpoint, and composition lessons. At sixteen, she made her debut as a solo pianist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

But her life changed direction at the age of eighteen, when she married the well-known physicist Henry Harris Aubrey Beach (whose initials H.H.A. Beach gave the name to many of Amy's compositions), twenty-five years her senior, who convinced him to dedicate himself to composition, thus abandoning his solo career, except for charitable occasions or to present his new works.

Amy Cheney Beach composed a mass, a symphony, an opera, concerts, sonatas, choral, and sacred music. She also wrote many poems, which she set to music together with those written by her husband.

Deeply romantic in spirit, his compositional style was rich in melodic creativity and unexpected rhythmic superpositions, to the point of sometimes recalling the sounds of Brahms and Rachmaninoff, but also exotic harmonies and tones that corresponded, in his poetics, to precise colors (the I was yellow, the sun was red).

Upon the death of her husband, Amy resumed performing in concert until the last years of her life, spent in a state of poor health in her apartment in New York, where she died of a heart attack. 

Amy Beach (ITA)

(Henniker 1867 - New York 1944)

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, pianista e compositrice, fu la prima donna americana a scrivere una sinfonia dal titolo Sinfonia Gaelica. Sua madre era pianista e notò da subito il grandissimo talento della figlia, ma disapprovava; sin dall’età di due anni Amy conosceva la scrittura musicale ed era in grado di improvvisare; a quattro compose il primo brano e a sette si esibì in pubblico, eseguendo brani di Handel, Beethoven, Chopin e composizioni proprie. La madre però continuava a ostacolare il prodigio, impedendo ad Amy di utilizzare il pianoforte; lei era così costretta a suonare le sue piccole composizioni su una tastiera immaginaria.

Quando aveva otto anni la famiglia si trasferì a Boston; Amy iniziò a prendere lezioni di pianoforte, armonia, contrappunto e composizione; a sedici anni debuttò come pianista solista con la Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Ma la sua vita cambiò direzione all’età di diciotto anni, quando si sposò con il noto fisico Henry Harris Aubrey Beach (le cui iniziali H.H.A. Beach diedero il nome a molte composizioni di Amy), più anziano di lei di venticinque anni, che la convinse a dedicarsi alla composizione, abbandonando così la carriera solistica, eccetto che per occasioni a scopo benefico o per presentare i suoi nuovi lavori.

Amy Cheney Beach compose una messa, una sinfonia, un’opera, concerti, sonate, musica corale e sacra, scrisse tante poesie, che musicò assieme a quelle scritte dal marito.

Di spirito profondamente romantico, il suo stile compositivo era ricco di creatività melodica e inattese sovrapposizioni ritmiche, al punto da richiamare talvolta le sonorità di Brahms e Rachmaninoff, ma anche armonie esotiche e tonalità che corrispondevano, nella sua poetica, a dei colori precisi (il mi era il giallo, il sol il rosso).

Alla morte del marito Amy riprese a esibirsi in concerto fino agli ultimi anni di vita, trascorsi in uno stato di salute inferma nel proprio appartamento di New York, dove morì per un attacco di cuore. 

Amy Beach (DE)

(Henniker 1867 - New York 1944)

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, Pianistin und Komponistin, war die erste Amerikanerin, die eine Symphonie mit dem Titel Sinfonia Gaelica schrieb. Ihre Mutter war Pianistin und bemerkte sofort das große Talent ihrer Tochter, missbilligte es jedoch; Seit ihrem zweiten Lebensjahr kannte Amy das Schreiben von Musik und konnte improvisieren; mit vier komponierte er sein erstes Stück und mit sieben trat er öffentlich auf und spielte Stücke von Händel, Beethoven, Chopin und seine eigenen Kompositionen. Ihre Mutter behinderte das Wunderkind jedoch weiterhin und hinderte Amy daran, das Klavier zu benutzen; Sie war daher gezwungen, ihre kleinen Kompositionen auf einer imaginären Tastatur zu spielen.

Als er acht Jahre alt war, zog die Familie nach Boston; Amy begann Klavier-, Harmonie-, Kontrapunkt- und Kompositionsunterricht zu nehmen; mit sechzehn Jahren debütierte er als Solopianist beim Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Doch im Alter von achtzehn Jahren änderte sich ihr Leben, als sie den bekannten Physiker Henry Harris Aubrey Beach (dessen Initialen H.H.A. Beach vielen von Amys Kompositionen den Namen gaben) heiratete, der fünfundzwanzig Jahre älter war als sie und ihn davon überzeugte, sich ihr zu widmen widmete sich der Komposition und gab damit seine Solokarriere auf, außer für wohltätige Anlässe oder zur Präsentation seiner neuen Werke.

Amy Cheney Beach komponierte eine Messe, eine Symphonie, eine Oper, Konzerte, Sonaten, Chor- und Kirchenmusik, sie schrieb viele Gedichte, die sie zusammen mit denen ihres Mannes vertonte.

Sein Kompositionsstil war von tiefem romantischem Geist und reich an melodischer Kreativität und unerwarteten rhythmischen Überlagerungen, bis er manchmal an die Klänge von Brahms und Rachmaninow erinnerte, aber auch an exotische Harmonien und Töne, die in seiner Poetik präzisen Farben entsprachen (das I war gelb, die Sonne war rot).

Nach dem Tod ihres Mannes trat Amy wieder auf, bis sie ihre letzten Lebensjahre in einem schlechten Gesundheitszustand in ihrer Wohnung in New York verbrachte und an einem Herzinfarkt starb. 

Antonio Bazzini (UK)

 

(Brescia, March 11, 1818 – Milan, February 10, 1897)

Bazzini was born in Brescia. As a boy he was a student of Faustino Camisani. At 17 he was appointed organist of a church in his hometown. The following year he met Paganini and was completely influenced by that master's art and style. Paganini encouraged Bazzini to begin his concert career that year, and he quickly became one of the most popular artists of his time. From 1841 to 1845, he lived in Germany, where Schumann was greatly admired both as a violinist and as a composer, as well as by Mendelssohn (Bazzini gave his first private performance of Violin Concerto). After a brief stay in Denmark in 1845, Bazzini returned to Brescia to teach and compose. In 1846 he played Naples and Palermo. In 1849-1850, he toured Spain, and from 1852 to 1863, he lived in Paris. He concluded his concert career with a tour of Holland in 1864.

Returning once again to Brescia, Bazzini devoted himself to composition, gradually abandoning the virtuosic operatic fantasies and character pieces, which had formed much of his early work. He composed an opera, Turanda, in 1867 and produced a series of dramatic cantatas, sacred works, concert overtures, and symphonic poems over the next two decades. However, his greatest success as a composer was with his chamber music compositions. In 1868 he became president of the Brescia Concert Society, and was active in promoting and composing for quartet societies in Italy. In 1873, he became a professor of composition at the Milan Conservatory, where he taught Catalani, Mascagni, and Puccini, and later became director in 1882. Bazzini died in Milan on 10 February 1897.

Bazzini was one of the most popular artists of his time and influenced the great opera composer Giacomo Puccini. His most enduring work is his chamber music, which is written in the classical forms of the German School and earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental Renaissance of the 19th century. Of particular note is his String Quartet no. 1, which won the first prize of the Society of Quartets of Milan in 1864. His music is characterized by a highly virtuosic technique, expressive without too much feeling. Bazzini played a violin by Giuseppe Guarneri, which passed to M. Soldat-Roeger upon his death.

Artists who have recorded his music include Chloë Hanslip. But many far better-known virtuoso violinists have distinguished themselves by undertaking to record his fiendishly difficult La ronde des lutins (or Dance of the Goblins, with its extended passages of rapid double stops, artificial harmonics in double registers (using all four left fingers) and left pizzicato. These include Bronislaw Huberman, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, David Garrett, James Ehnes, and Itzhak Perlman.

Antonio Bazzini (ITA)

(Brescia, 11 marzo 1818 – Milano, 10 febbraio 1897)

Bazzini è nato a Brescia. Da ragazzo era un allievo di Faustino Camisani. A 17 anni è stato nominato organista di una chiesa nella sua città natale. L'anno successivo si è incontrato Paganini e fu completamente influenzato dall'arte e dallo stile di quel maestro. Paganini incoraggiò Bazzini a iniziare la sua carriera concertistica quell'anno e divenne rapidamente uno degli artisti più apprezzati del suo tempo. Dal 1841 al 1845 visse in Germania, dove fu molto ammirato Schumann sia come violinista che come compositore, oltre che da Mendelssohn (Bazzini ha tenuto la prima sua esibizione privata Concerto per violino). Dopo un breve soggiorno in Danimarca nel 1845, Bazzini tornò a Brescia per insegnare e comporre. Nel 1846 ha suonato Napoli e Palermo. Nel 1849-1850 fece un tour in Spagna e dal 1852 al 1863 visse Parigi. Ha concluso la sua carriera concertistica con un tour del Olanda nel 1864.

Tornato ancora una volta a Brescia, Bazzini si dedicò alla composizione, abbandonando gradualmente le fantasie operistiche virtuosistiche e i pezzi caratteristici, che avevano formato gran parte dei suoi primi lavori. Ha composto un'opera Turanda nel 1867 e produsse una serie di cantate drammatiche, opere sacre, aperture di concerti e poesie sinfoniche nei due decenni successivi. Tuttavia, il suo più grande successo come compositore è stato con le sue composizioni di musica da camera. Nel 1868 divenne presidente della Società dei Concerti di Brescia, e fu attivo nella promozione e nella composizione per società di quartetti in Italia. Nel 1873 divenne professore di composizione presso il Conservatorio di Milano, dove insegnava Catalani, Mascagni, e Puccini, e in seguito divenne direttore nel 1882. Bazzini morì a Milano il 10 febbraio 1897.

Bazzini è stato uno degli artisti più apprezzati del suo tempo e ha influenzato il grande compositore d'opera Giacomo Puccini. Il suo lavoro più duraturo è la sua musica da camera, che è scritta nelle forme classiche della scuola tedesca e gli è valsa un posto centrale nel rinascimento strumentale italiano del XIX secolo. Di particolare rilievo è il suo Quartetto per archi n. 1, che vinse il primo premio della Società dei Quartetti di Milano nel 1864. La sua musica è caratterizzata da una tecnica altamente virtuosistica, espressiva senza troppi sentimenti. Bazzini suonava un violino di Giuseppe Guarneri, che alla sua morte passò a M. Soldat-Roeger.

Gli artisti che hanno registrato la sua musica includono Chloë Hanslip. Ma molti violinisti virtuosi di gran lunga più noti si sono distinti impegnandosi a registrare la sua diabolica difficoltà La ronde des lutins (o Danza dei Goblin, con i suoi passaggi estesi di doppi arresti rapidi, armonici artificiali in doppi registri (utilizzando tutte e quattro le dita sinistre) e pizzicato sinistro. Questi includono Bronislaw Huberman, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, David Garrett, James Ehnes, e Itzhak Perlman. 

Antonio Bazzini (DE)

(Brescia, 11. März 1818 – Mailand, 10. Februar 1897)

Bazzini wurde in Brescia geboren. Als Junge war er Schüler von Faustino Camisani. Mit 17 Jahren wurde er zum Organisten einer Kirche in seiner Heimatstadt ernannt. Im folgenden Jahr traf er Paganini und wurde vollständig von der Kunst und dem Stil dieses Meisters beeinflusst. Paganini ermutigte Bazzini, in diesem Jahr seine Konzertkarriere zu beginnen, und er wurde schnell zu einem der beliebtesten Künstler seiner Zeit. Von 1841 bis 1845 lebte er in Deutschland, wo Schumann sowohl als Geiger als auch als Komponist große Bewunderung genoss, ebenso wie bei Mendelssohn (Bazzini gab seinen ersten privaten Auftritt mit dem Violinkonzert). Nach einem kurzen Aufenthalt in Dänemark im Jahr 1845 kehrte Bazzini nach Brescia zurück, um dort zu unterrichten und zu komponieren. 1846 spielte er in Neapel und Palermo. Von 1849 bis 1850 bereiste er Spanien und lebte von 1852 bis 1863 in Paris. Er beendete seine Konzertkarriere 1864 mit einer Tournee durch Holland.

Als Bazzini erneut nach Brescia zurückkehrte, widmete er sich der Komposition und gab nach und nach die virtuosen Opernphantasien und Charakterstücke auf, die einen Großteil seiner frühen Werke geprägt hatten. Er komponierte 1867 die Oper Turanda und produzierte in den nächsten zwei Jahrzehnten eine Reihe dramatischer Kantaten, geistlicher Werke, Konzertouvertüren und symphonischer Gedichte. Seinen größten Erfolg als Komponist hatte er jedoch mit seinen kammermusikalischen Kompositionen. 1868 wurde er Präsident der Brescia Concert Society und engagierte sich aktiv für die Förderung und Komposition von Quartettgesellschaften in Italien. 1873 wurde er Professor für Komposition am Mailänder Konservatorium, wo er Catalani, Mascagni und Puccini unterrichtete und 1882 Direktor wurde. Bazzini starb am 10. Februar 1897 in Mailand.

Bazzini war einer der beliebtesten Künstler seiner Zeit und beeinflusste den großen Opernkomponisten Giacomo Puccini. Sein nachhaltigstes Werk ist seine Kammermusik, die in den klassischen Formen der Deutschen Schule geschrieben ist und ihm einen zentralen Platz in der italienischen Instrumentalrenaissance des 19. Jahrhunderts einbrachte. Besonders hervorzuheben ist sein Streichquartett Nr. 1, das 1864 den ersten Preis der Mailänder Quartettgesellschaft gewann. Seine Musik zeichnet sich durch eine äußerst virtuose Technik aus, die ausdrucksstark und ohne allzu viel Gefühl ist. Bazzini spielte eine Geige von Giuseppe Guarneri, die nach seinem Tod an M. Soldat-Roeger überging.

Zu den Künstlern, die ihre Musik aufgenommen haben, gehört Chloë Hanslip. Aber viele weitaus bekanntere Geigervirtuosen haben sich dadurch hervorgetan, dass sie sich vorgenommen haben, sein teuflisch schwieriges La ronde des lutins (oder Tanz der Kobolde mit seinen ausgedehnten Passagen aus schnellen Doppelgriffen und künstlichen Harmonischen in Doppelregistern (unter Verwendung aller vier linken Finger) aufzunehmen). und linkes Pizzicato. Dazu gehören Bronislaw Huberman, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, David Garrett, James Ehnes und Itzhak Perlman.

Amazing Italy: Visiting Villa Badoèr with Maria Cristina Buoso - by Maria Teresa De Donato

 Amazing Italy:

 

Visiting Villa  Badoèr with Maria Cristina Buoso

 

by Maria Teresa De Donato

 

Dear friends, today we continue to travel in our Amazing Italy with our friend and colleague Maria Cristina, Author and Blogger. Maria Cristina participated very actively, together with other colleagues and friends, in this Column of mine, and I invite you all to read the other articles to be inspired by the various locations that have been presented as well as by the highly appreciated recipes that you can enjoy by visiting especially her territory. She recently started introducing us to the Venetian Villas, some of which were designed and built by the famous architect Andrea Palladio.

Today, we will be considering one in particular: Villa Badoèr.

Enjoy the reading!

 

MTDD: Hi Maria Cristina, and welcome again to my Blog and Virtual Cultural Salon.

MCB: Thank you, Maria Teresa, for your invitation.

 

MTDD: As I just mentioned, today, you will be taking us, even if only virtually, to visit one of the Venetian Villas, specifically Villa Badoèr.

What can you tell us about this Villa?

MCB: Villa Badoèr, also known as "La Badoèra," is located in Fratta Polesine (a municipality not far from Rovigo). It was designed by the architect Andrea Palladio around 1554-1555 and commissioned by Francesco Badoèr, a descendant of an illustrious family of the Serenissima. The building and other Palladian Villas in the Veneto have been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1996.

 

 

 

MTDD: Was there a specific reason why this Villa was built?

MCB: Yes, there was. In that historical period, the Venetian aristocracy had begun to prefer the hinterland to encourage their investments, often derived from mercantile income. The Venetian Villas thus became a symbol of their "world." Francesco Badoèr wanted a garrison to administer the property and demonstrate his social and economic status.

 

 

 

MTDD: What are this Villa's main features?

MCB: The building is located above an ancient medieval castle. The main facade recalls the harmony of Greek temples, with the triangular tympanum and the Ionic order colonnade reachable via the staircase. The barchesse arranged in a semicircle are a unique example of their kind among Palladian Villas; they have curved shapes and, together with the Tuscan-style colonnade, welcome the visitor. It should be noted that the pronaos and the main floor have frescoes with allegorical, pastoral, mythological, and sometimes grotesque scenes, which are the work of the painter Giallo Fiorentino. It is the first Villa in which the Paduan architect entirely used a pronaos with a pediment on the facade, and it is also the only one built in the Polesine area.

 

(Frescos of Villa Badoer by painter Giallo Fiorentino, half of 16th century.)

 (Copyright free photo)

 

 

Anyone wishing to have further information on this Villa may want to visit the following sites:

 

 

http://www.villevenete.net/tutte_le_ville/villa_badoer_detta_la_badoera/

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Badoer

https://www.beniculturalionline.it/location-1826_Villa-Badoer.php

https://www.culturaveneto.it/it/beni-culturali/ville-venete/6494af48b282ae2b52bb4885

 

 

MTDD: This Villa is also very fascinating. Thank you, Maria Cristina, for your research and for always presenting us with such exciting attractions from an artistic, cultural, historical, and architectural point of view.

Let's conclude our interview today with one of your local recipes, shall we?

MCB: Of course! Today, I propose Venetian Liver.

 

 

 

Recipe

Venetian liver

 

This is a simple yet tasty typical Venetian dish, which was once for poor people, although today, it is a refined dish with different variations. Once upon a time, pork liver was mainly used, but you can also use calf or beef liver, which are more tender. For 500 gr. of liver, use 400 gr. of very finely chopped white onion and a handful of chopped parsley, too (if I remember correctly, my mother didn't use it).

Place a pan with oil and a little butter on the heat (my mother didn't use butter either). When the oil is hot, add the chopped mixture, brown it, and continue cooking slowly over low heat, adding a little water, and keep the pan covered with a lid until the onion is stewed. Check the cooking to prevent the chopped onion from burning.

Then place the floured liver slices in the pan, turn them over, and add - if needed - a little more hot water to continue cooking until the end; a few minutes, from 5 to 10, are enough. Taste to ensure the quantity of salt and pepper you use is enough, then serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, or reheated bread.

 

Enjoy your meal!