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Journal of singing: The official journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (March-April 2010)

The Solo Songs of Gioachino Rossini

Pamela Shannon

INTRODUCTION

A
LTHOUGH ROSSINI IS A WELL RESPECTED composer of opera, his song
literature is to a large extent unknown, or, at best, underper-
formed. Some of Rossini’s songs have still not been published;
others are in early editions which are out of print; and many
are only in critical/scholarly editions of Rossini’s works. The lack of good
performance editions limits the inclusion of Rossini’s songs on voice recitals
and recordings. Yet Rossini’s smaller compositions represent his artistic
output for a large part of his life, as he gave up writing opera in 1829 and
was to live for another thirty-nine years. During his later years, he devoted
himself to composing songs, vocal chamber music, and small composi-
tions for the piano, an œuvre that represents a barely excavated gold mine
of beautiful music.
The solo songs of Rossini represent only a very small portion of his non-
operatic vocal works. Rossini’s vocal chamber music is an untapped and
potentially rich body of music that also remains to be explored. As can be
seen in his operas, he was a masterful composer of ensembles. It is beyond the
scope of this paper to discuss the numerous duets, quartets, and other cham-
ber pieces; rather, discussion is limited to the solo songs with piano.
Rossini’s output as a song composer can be divided into three general cat-
egories: 1) early songs; 2) the Soirées musicales and miscellaneous songs from
the 1830s and 40s; and 3) the Péchés

Oxford University Press from Richard Osborne’s book. “Rosini” J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. 1986
de vieillesse, written after Rossini’s
return to composition in 1855.

EARLY SONGS
The songs that comprise the early
group are particularly difficult to
locate. Philip Gossett who has been
directing the new critical edition of
the complete works of Rossini has
done much to locate these and other
songs.
Rossini’s two earliest songs are
“Se il vuol la molinara” (before 1813)
Journal of Singing, March/April 2010 and “Qual voce, quai note” (1813).
Volume 66, No. 4, pp. 409–419
Copyright © 2010 While he was artistic director of the
National Association of Teachers of Singing Teatro San Carlo and its affiliated Gioachino Rossini 1850

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Pamela Shannon

Example 1. “La pastorella,” mm. 15–19.

theaters (1815–1823), he wrote a number of other songs: even more poignant version of the A section with a
“Il trovatore,” “Addio ai viennesi,” “La pastorella,” “Amori cadenza.
scendete” (Beltà crudele), “Canzonetta spagnuola,”
“Infelice ch’io son,” and “Les adieux à Rome.” 1 LES SOIRÉES MUSICALES AND
Ascolto
La pastorella
“La pastorella” is a charming strophic song for soprano OTHER MISCELLANEOUS SONGS
to a text by N. di Santo-Magno. A staccato melody in
Les soirées musicales is a collection of eight solo songs
1822 the piano depicts the light step of the young shepherdess,
along with four duets written between 1830–1835. They
complete with a deliberate trip (B  against C ), a little
ed. Lucca, are probably Rossini’s best known songs. The title refers
Milano, expression of Rossini’s wit, in an otherwise diatonic
anno? to the soirées (musical evenings) that Rossini held first
phrase (Example 1). The song relates how the shep-
in Milan and then in Paris in the late 1850s and 60s.2
herdess, disillusioned with love, dislikes the rose for con-
cealing a snake; then, she no longer waters the flowers at Liszt, Wagner, Respighi, and Britten have orchestrated
dawn because they hide a bee; and in the final stanza, the songs.
she dislikes Aminta too for wounding her heart. The collection begins with three songs to texts of
Ascolto “Il trovatore,” a piece for tenor composed in 1818, Pietro Metastasio, “La promessa” (The promise), “Il rim-
Il trovatore provero” (The Reproach), and “La partenza” (The
opens with a lively chromatic melody and off-beat accents
that depict a carefree troubadour. We learn that the Departure). “Il rimprovero” is a setting of Metastasio’s
young man is only pretending to be jovial in order to text “Mi lagnerò tacendo,” to which Rossini returned
conceal his unhappiness. He has adopted a proud façade, again and again. The Metastasio settings are followed
so that the girl responsible for his hurt feelings will not by five songs with texts by Count Carlo Pepoli (1796–
gloat over him. In pretending to be happy, he believes 1881): “L’orgia” (The Orgy), “L’invito” (The Invitation),
his feelings will become less painful. “La pastorella delle alpi” (The Shepherdess of the Alps),
Ascolto “Amori scendete” (Beltà crudele; 1821) for soprano “La gita in gondola” (The Excursion in the Gondola),
Beltà crudele
has not yet been published; Philip Gossett kindly sent and the “La danza” (The Dance).
ed. Girard, me a copy of the song. It begins in D major with beau- In each song, Rossini employs a distinctive piano
Napoli, 1847
tiful languid lines in the vocal part over a simple bro- motif that sets the mood, returns intermittently through-
ken chord accompaniment. In poetry by N. di Santo- out the song, and usually ends the song. While never
Magno, the singer entreats Cupid to help win over the overshadowing the vocal line, the piano motifs create a
beloved Nice by offering a ribbon or rose that she can sense of unity and also supply color, texture, and rhyth-
present to him. In a change of texture in the B section, mic vitality (Example 2).
the singer anticipates offering the rose and her heart In nearly all of the songs in Les soirées musicales,
to Nice, the blissful mood culminating in a fioratura Rossini employs an ABA form, with the B section in a
passage. The lover in the song fleetingly entertains the contrasting key, color, and texture, a clear formal struc-
thought that the rose may not be accepted as the tonal- ture that attests to Rossini’s classical orientation. There
ity moves from F major through D minor and A major is one general mood in the A section, another in the B
and back to tonic, with a return to an expanded and section, usually a written-out cadenza at the end of the

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The Solo Songs of Gioachino Rossini

Example 2. “L’invito,” mm. 1–2.

Example 3. “La partenza.” mm. 56–57.

B section, and a coda and final cadenza at the end of the in the group are in either triple or compound meter.
song (Example 3). Rossini also creates musical vitality through various
Rossini’s greatest genius lies in his exquisite melodies: rhythmic devices. Off-beat accents are a favored way to
the arch of the phrases; the way the vocal line weaves or create the unexpected. Staccati, appoggiaturas, trills,
leaps, or how it builds and tapers; and the delicate dec- and shifts of stress contribute to the lighthearted gaiety
orations and beautifully sculpted details. His spontane- in both piano and voice.
ity, exuberance, and the variety of moods and colors he Rossini’s letters attest to his sense of humor, a qual-
creates, from robust to poignant, humorous, and acro- ity that is built into the music of this ingenious collec-
batic, are all distinctive trademarks of his style. His writ- tion of songs. Stendhal spoke of a kind of freshness in
ing is ideally suited for the voice and is eminently singable. Rossini’s phrases, which evokes a “smile of pleasure at
Phrases facilitate comfortable breaths, and the vocal every bar.” 3 Les soirées musicales sparkles with joie de
writing allows the singer easy passage through register vivre, great lyricism, and vitality.
breaks in the voice. Rossini was himself an excellent Other songs that Rossini wrote during the 1830s and
singer, and had a great understanding of how to write 40s are: “La passeggiata” (1831), “La dichiarazione” (c.
well for the voice. 1834), “Il rimprovero” (1944), and “Recitativo ritmato”
Ascolto
L'invito The use of dance rhythms is prominent in Les soirées (1848) for soprano. After his arrival in France, Rossini
musicales: a Spanish flavor is captured in “L’invito” with also wrote two French songs: “Nizza” (c. 1836), and “L’âme
Ascolto a bolero rhythm throughout; “La danza” is a spirited délaissée” (c. 1844) for soprano.4
La danza
Neapolitan tarantella; “L’orgia” is a waltz. “La gita in gon- “L’âme délaissée,” set to a text by Casimir Delavigne,
Ascolto dola” is a barcarola with a figure in the piano that sug- uses a broken chord accompaniment that supports a
L'orgia
gests a boat rocking. “La pastorella delle alpi,” labeled simple, unadorned vocal line in a strophic setting. The
Ascolto
tirolese, has a musically simulated yodel. All of the songs text is set syllabically. Absent are the grace notes, appog-
La gita in gondola vedere es. 4
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La pastorella dell'Alpi
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Ascolto
L’âme délaissée
(no edizione)

Example 4. “L’âme délaissée,” mm. 5–9.

giaturas, trills, melismas and other embellishments formance, but also ran the main schools of singing. In 1860
that are characteristic of Rossini’s early Italian songs in Paris, Rossini said to Wagner, “As to the castratos,
(Example 4). they vanished . . . That was the cause of the irretrievable
decay of the art of singing . . . Alas for us! The bel canto
CHANGING AESTHETICS of our homeland is lost.” 7
In 1830, the French monarchy was overthrown in
In 1824, Rossini moved to Paris to become the direc-
what became known as the July Monarchy. When the
tor of the Opéra Italien. In Paris, he staged many of his
new regime tried to annul Rossini’s contract, he fought
own operas as well as those of Donizetti and Bellini. 5 He
for six years in the courts in Paris before he finally won
also began composing in the newly emerging style of
his case. By this time, the increasingly nationalistic French
French grand opera, and his French operas William Tell
wanted French opera rather than Italian, and some
and the Siège de Corinthe are some of the best exam-
resented Rossini’s presence.8 He moved back to Italy in
ples of this genre.
1836, followed a few months later by Olympe Péllisier,
A significant development that had a major impact
a French woman, who would eventually become his sec-
on Rossini was the emerging Romantic Movement.
ond wife. (Rossini’s first wife was the great Spanish mezzo
Classical style was being replaced by new trends in France
soprano, Isabella Colbran whom he married in 1822 and
with Meyerbeer and Berlioz and in Italy with Donizetti,
left in 1837.)9 After 1829, Rossini retired from writing
Bellini, and Verdi. Rossini was caught in the transition
operas. He had written thirty-nine operas from 1808–1829
between the Classical and Romantic periods. His French
that included opera buffa, opera seria, and French grand
operas show him on the threshold of romanticism, but
operas.
all of his Italian operas were written before this period.
Another important factor was that Rossini grew up in
PÉCHÉS DE VIEILLESSE
Italy with the bel canto tradition of singing—a style that
centered on the voice, which involved long, cantabile After Rossini’s retirement from writing operas, he suffered
vocal lines, as well as highly ornate virtuosic melodies. from very poor health throughout the 1840s and into
This style was beginning to be replaced by singing based the 1850s. Eventually, after he and Olympe moved back
more on dramatic truth. Celletti states that “the bel canto to Paris in 1855 to seek help from French doctors, he
tradition must be seen as a lineage of superlative Italian did come to enjoy better health. The couple remained
vocalism that is tied to the repertoire of bel canto com- in France for the remainder of Rossini’s life.10
posers.” He believed that Rossini was the last in the line As a result of renewed health, Rossini began com-
of true bel canto composers.6 posing again, and produced more than 150 songs, duets,
Rossini attributed the decline in bel canto to the dis- quartets, choruses, and piano pieces that he collected
appearance at the beginning of the nineteenth century into thirteen manuscript volumes to which he gave the
of the castrati, who had not only dominated opera per- title Péchés de vieillesse (Sins of Old Age). Every day for

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The Solo Songs of Gioachino Rossini

the remainder of his life, he devoted time to composi- I offer these modest songs to my dear wife Olympe as a simple
tion, both for his own enjoyment and for performances testimonial of gratitude for the affectionate, intelligent care of
at his Parisian soirées. Rossini said he was not interested which she was prodigal during my overlong and terrible illness.
in publishing these compositions during his lifetime. Gioacchino Rossini, Paris, 14 April 1857.13
However, the time and diligence he put into the com-
Musique anodine means literally music that “relieves
positions indicate that they were important to him. When
pain or distress.” The set consists of six different set-
he died on November 13, 1868, the manuscripts of the
tings in Italian of the text “Mi lagnerò tacendo” (I will
Péchés de vieillesse were left to his wife, and some of the
lament in silence) from act 2, scene 1 of the play Siroe
compositions were published at this time.11 When Olympe
by Metastasio. 14 Rossini composed numerous songs
died in 1878, they passed to Rossini’s hometown of
and albumleaves using Metastasio’s text.
Pesaro, and in the 1950s, the Fondazione Rossini at
Pesaro began publication of all of the music in Péchés Mi lagnero tacendo I will lament in silence
de vieillesse. Della mia sorte amara; my bitter fate
Ma ch’io non t’ami, But that I cease to love you,
In Paris, the Rossinis lived in a corner apartment on
o cara, beloved,
the second floor of a building that contained a very large
Non lo sperar da me. Do not expect it of me.
salon with windows overlooking two streets. On Saturdays, Crudel! In che t’offese? Cruel one, how have I offended
Samedi soir
the couple usually invited about twelve to fifteen guest you?
for dinner. Later in the evening, other guests would arrive Farmi penar cosí, perche? Why make me suffer so? 15
to listen to or perform music. Rossini often accompa-
Rossini’s wonderful instinct for the stage and dra-
nied a singer or instrumentalist on the piano, and would
matic expression is well portrayed in this group. It opens
also introduce his own new compositions. Musical soirées
with a playful prelude that dramatically summons our
were also held at the couple’s country home in Passy,
attention with fortissimo chords. From the start, there
outside Paris. The Rossini soirées in France became very
seems to be a twinkle in the eye of this creator. Each
famous.Giulio
Guilio Ricordi, of the music publishing family,
song is a little theatrical play on words. From a text that
described one of the gatherings.
speaks of suffering and love, Rossini fashions music that
The crowd was so great that some thirty of the guests had to contains spirit and tongue-in-cheek humor. The first
remain seated on the staircase . . . My father and I wormed our song, written for contralto, is in a lyric vein; the second
way patiently through the crowd. Fortunately, we were escorted portrays a lamenting baritone; the third, a distraught
by Signora Rossini, who with exquisite courtesy made a path for soprano. A playful fourth, also for soprano, opens in a seri-
us and led us into the music room. What a spectacle! Rossini
ous vein, but soon lightens, and this is followed by dra-
truly was surrounded by “all Paris.”12
matic rendering of the text for mezzo soprano. The group
Rossini’s vocal music contained in his Péchés de vieil- ends with a jovial setting for buffo baritone.
lesse can be divided into Italian and French songs. The The group is a fascinating depiction of the many dif-
Italian songs include the collection entitled Musique ferent moods and colors created by Rossini with the
anodine and the Album italiano; the French songs include same text. The idea of suffering in silence is contradicted
the Album français and Morceaux réservés. by the continual repetition of the text in spirited music
that contains humor and theatricality. Ascolto
Musique anodine 1 e 6
Musique anodine (no edizione)
Musique anodine is a collection of six songs that is pre- Album Italiano
ceded by a prelude for piano. Rossini dedicated the group The volume entitled Album italiano contains nine solo
to his wife Olympe on her birthday in 1857 as a token songs: “La lontananza,” “Il fanciullo smarrito,” “Tirana
of appreciation for the care she gave to him during his long alla spagnola,” “La fioraja fiorentina,” “Ave Maria,” “L’ultimo
illness. The group also marks the date of Rossini’s return ricordo,” and a group of three songs in Venetian dialect
to composition. 1857 entitled La regatta veneziana.

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The musical style of the works varies, from the sim- their years together. Rossini replaces the name Elvira in
plicity of “La regatta veneziana” to the romantic inten- the poem by his wife Olympe’s name (Example 5).
sity of “L’ultimo ricordo.” The florid vocal lines evident In the Rossini critical edition, Gossett notes that “La
in songs such as “La fioraja fiorentina” contrast with fioraja fiorentina,” “Tirano spagnola,” and probably “La
Ascolto the more declamatory style in “Ave Maria,” a piece lontananza” were first set to the words “Mi lagnero
Ave Maria
entirely composed on two notes. Piano accompani- tacendò,” with new words added later.
ments in the songs of Album italiano take on greater With the exception of “Ave Maria” and “L’ultimo
importance and independence, with chromatic har- ricordo,” songs in the Album Italiano contain the famil-
monies, a broader range, and an intensity that con- iar cantabile vocal lines, beautiful lyricism, character-
trasts with the simple supportive accompaniments of istic ingenuity of Rossini’s musical motifs, and familiar
his earlier Italian songs. Rossinian vivacity. Album italiano is a collection of
The innocent subjects of the songs of Rossini’s youth interesting and diverse songs on Italian themes with
give way to some less typical and more complex char- two forays into the new Romantic style that includes
acters, such as a lost child (“Il fanciullo smarrito,” for an interesting musical parody.
tenor) and a gentle flower girl who supports her mother
(“La fioraja fiorentina,” for soprano). The idea of sepa- Album français
ration features in “La lontananza” (At a distance, for Rossini’s Album français contains seven solo songs:
tenor) and “L’ultimo ricordo” (The last testament, for “Romeo,” “Pompadour, la grande coquette,” “Le laz-
baritone). Yet there is also the simplicity and joie de vivre
zarone,” “Chanson de Zoro,” “Le dodo des enfants,”
in “La regatta veneziana” (for mezzo soprano), in which
“Adieux à la vie,” and “L’orphéline du Tyrol.” This col-
Anzoleta watches her beloved Momolo in a boat race
Ascolto lection and the Morceaux réservés are testaments to
and then covers him with kisses when he wins, as well as
La regatta Rossini’s familiarity with the French language, tastes,
veneziana in songs that depict the beauty of the Italian country-
culture, and subject matter.
side of Rossini’s youth. A Spanish flavor is present in
Rossini’s style of writing in his French vocal music is
“Tirana alla spagnola,” an Andalusian dance, and in “Le
markedly different from that of his Italian music. This dif-
gittane” (The gypsy).
ference can be seen as far back as his Italian bel canto
Rossini retains his propensity to paint theatrical char-
operas as compared to his French grand operas. The
acters in his music. The music conveys vivid depictions
melodies, harmonies, relationship of word to music, and
of a scenario or persona in mood and texture from the
very first note. It does not seem to matter what the words interplay of voice and piano differ in the Italian and
say because the music conveys a picture even without French songs. Rossini, in fact, had many facets; he com-
words. ABA form is used in most of these Italian songs. posed not only Italian comic operas, but sixteen Italian
As in earlier songs, the voice is sometimes used virtu- opera seria, in addition to his operas for the French stage.
osically, especially at cadenzas. The role of the piano in Album français and Morceaux
While simple piano accompaniments are still used, réservés assumes much greater importance and inde-
particularly in the songs on Italian and Spanish themes, pendence than in his Italian songs. There is greater use
piano introductions are generally much lengthier in the of chromatic harmonies and unexpected modulations
songs of Album italiano as compared to his earlier Italian in the French songs. Rossini seems to be moving into a
songs. In two songs in particularly, “Ave Maria” and more Romantic style in his late French songs. As in the
“L’ultimo ricordo,” there is a much greater use of chro- Album italiano and Musique anodine, some of the songs
maticism. The piano part in “L’ultimo ricordo” is full were originally set to “Mi lagnerò tacendo” and later
and expansive with a corresponding wider dynamic rewritten with French words. 16
range. The thicker accompaniment combines with a “Roméo” is a long song in binary form for tenor
greater dramatic intensity in the vocal writing. A poem (most of the French songs are in binary form). The
by Giovanni Redaelli speaks of a dying man who returns piano accompaniment is full and weighty, playing an
a pressed flower he had kept from his beloved during active role equal to the voice. The words by Pacini, set

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The Solo Songs of Gioachino Rossini

Example 5. “L’ultimo ricordo,” mm. 29–30.

Example 6. “Romeo,” mm. 64–67.

Ascolto
Roméo syllabically, depict Roméo’s agony at finding his beloved song with a change of key in the more legato B section
Juliet dead (Example 6). and a chromatic transition to a return of the A and a
“L’orphéline du Tyrol” is a binary ballad for mezzo variant of the B section. The song may have been writ-
soprano with text by Pacini about the sad life of an orphan ten before Rossini arrived in Paris, but was adapted in 1862
from Tyrol. The opening melody is taken from Rossini’s with French words by Pacini, since there is a manuscript
Neopolitan opera Ermione. 17 The rhythm and yodeling by Pacini dated January 29, 1862 (Example 8).18
refrain evoke a feeling of the Alps (Example 7). “La lazzarone” (The Lazy One) is almost a cabaret piece Ascolto
La lazzarone
Ascolto In “Adieux à la vie,” the piano writing is full and rich, for baritone. Words by Pacini depict the happy life of a lazy
Adieux à la vie
containing beautiful melodies and expressive chord one and the atmosphere in Naples. It is a lively, spirited
flourishes, while the voice is restricted in the extreme, song, with a tarantella rhythm. The use of the spoken
to declaiming on a single note—another example of voice adds to its sense of fun (Example 9).
Rossini’s wit. Intensity is further achieved through a “Chanson de Zoro” (La petite bohémienne) with a
wide range of dynamics. The text tells of a disillusioned text by Deschamps for mezzo soprano, concerns a little
lover who bids farewell to his homeland and his mother. bohemian girl, Zoro, who earns a living dancing and
“Pompadour, la grande coquette” probably refers to singing. A short piano prelude begins in B  major, and
the favorite mistress of Louis XV, Madame Pompadour. abruptly modulates to the parallel minor. The singer has
With a lighthearted, staccato melody in both piano and a poignant chromatic lyric line, pathos being created
voice, the French coquette is brought to life. It is a lengthy mostly by appoggiaturas that depict Zoro’s unhappiness.

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Example 7. “L’orphéline du Tyrol,” mm. 51–53.

Example 8. “Pompadour, la grande coquette,” mm. 49–52.

Sequences build to fortissimo as Zoro says, “It’s neces- song ends as she rocks her son to sleep with the rock-
sary to be pleasant in order to earn my wages.” A long ing broken chord motif in the piano.
cadenza ends the B section with wide leaps that depict con l'Album français sono inseriti nel secondo
Zoro singing and dancing for her living. Morceaux réservés volume dei Péchés de vieillesse
“Le dodo des enfants” for mezzo soprano, is a lullaby The album Morceaux réservés consists of five solo songs:
that depicts a mother’s love and concern for her sick “L’esule,” “Le sylvain,” “L’amour à Pékin,” “Ariette à l’an-
child, and her prayer to God. The music dates from cienne,” and “Au chevet d’un mourant.”
Rossini’s pre-Paris period. In binary form, it is a set- In “Le sylvain,” written for tenor, the vocal range is
ting of “Mi lagnerò tacendo” to which Pacini later wrote quite narrow, with the words set syllabically (one sylla-
French words.19 The first part of the A section in F# ble per note) in keeping with the French declamatory Ascolto
Le sylvain
minor consists of a repeated broken chord motif that style of writing for the voice. This tendency can be seen
alternates tonic and diminished chords in the piano in French vocal music back to the time of Lully. The
depicting the rocking of a cradle. The music eventu- accompaniment, in contrast, has a wide range, giving it
ally modulates to D major in the second part of the A a thick, weighty feel and a Romantic style intensity.
section as the mother prays to God for the protection “Ariette à l’ancienne” (Little Aria in the Old Style) with
of her son. There is a build up to fortissimo in rising a text by Jean-Jacques Rousseau is for mezzo soprano
sequences as the mother pleads for her son and prom- on the theme of pastoral shepherd life. In ternary form,
ises that she will bear any misfortune in his place. The it is harmonically rich and dense containing much chro-

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The Solo Songs of Gioachino Rossini

Example 9. “La lazzarone,” mm. 152–156.

Example 10. “Ariette à l’ancienne,” mm. 24–27.

Ascolto
Ariette à l'ancienne
maticism, and complex and unexpected modulations Three additional songs that Rossini wrote during his
(Example 10). final period that are not included in Péchés de vieillesse
“L’esule” (The Exile), for tenor, is the only song in the are: “La separazione” (c. 1858), “A Grenade” (c. 1860),
album in Italian. With words by Torre, it concerns an and “La veuve andalouse”(c. 1860) for soprano.20
exile that lovingly speaks of his homeland. The country
where he currently makes his home cannot take the place CONCLUSION
of Genoa where he grew up. The A section is repeated
exactly, followed by an extended B section. Perhaps Rossini wrote more than sixty Italian and French solo
Rossini, as he neared the end of his life, thought nostal- songs. In addition, he wrote more than fifty duets, quar-
gically of Italy. tets, and other vocal chamber pieces. He was capable of
“Au chevet d’un mourant” (At the Bedside of a Dying writing in both the Classical and the Romantic styles.
One), for soprano, is a long song with text by Pacini The sunny radiance of his Italian songs is centered on
about a girl who looks after her father in his later years, the voice, with long, cantabile vocal lines, as well as vir-
and consoles him when he is dying. The vocal line is tuosic melodies, the words always serving the music
simple and declamatory while the piano has an impor- (with the exception of his two late Italian songs, “Ave
tant, independent role, with changing harmonies in the Maria” and “L’ultimo ricordo”). In the French songs, the
A section over a tonic A pedal. There is a climactic B accompaniment and harmonies play a greater role while
section in F minor as the daughter rails against fate for the voice declaims the text mostly syllabically within a
taking her father as the bass line descends. narrower range in keeping with the word-centered French

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Pamela Shannon

style. There is a great deal of beautiful music to be dis- _________. “Una voce poco fa.” Opera News 49, no. 6 (December
covered in Rossini’s French and Italian songs, as well as 8, 1984): 24.
his vast amount of chamber music repertoire. This doc- Azevedo, Alexis Jacob. G. Rossini: Sa vie et se oeuvres. Paris, 1864.
ument has only scratched the surface of this great body
Backus, David. “Opera Made to Order.” Opera News 46, no. 15
of music, which deserves further exploration by singers
(March 13, 1982): 12–13.
and scholars alike.
Barker, Frank Granville. “Man of Mirth.” Opera News 39, no. 9
NOTES (December 28, 1974): 34–35.

1. Philip Gossett, “Rossini, Gioachino,” Grove Music Online, Barbier, Patrick. Opera in Paris 1800–1850. Portland, OR: Amadeus
ed. Deane L. Root (accessed 10 November 2009), http://www. Press, 1995.
oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/articlegrove/music/23901. Beyle, Marie-Henri (pseudonym, Stendhal). Life of Rossini.
2. Herbert Weinstock, Rossini: A Biography (New York: Alfred Translated by Richard N. Coe. New York: Criterion Books, 1957.
A. Knopf, 1968), 272.
__________. “Stendhal on Rossini’s Style.” Opera News 38, no.
3. Marie Henri Beyle, “Stendhal on Rossini’s Style,” Opera News
15 (March 2, 1974): 20–21.
38, no. 17 (March 1974): 20–21.
4. Philip Gossett, “Rossini, Gioachino,” http://www.oxford- Celletti, Rodolfo. A History of Bel Canto. Translated from the
musiconline.com/subscriber/articlegrove/music/23901. Italian by Frederick Fuller. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York:
5. Patrick Barbier, Opera in Paris 1800–1850 (Portland, OR: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Amadeus Press, 1995), 189. Friedlaender, Maryla. “Rossini: The Jester.” Opera News 15, no. 8
6. Rodolfo Celletti, The History of Bel Canto, trans. Frederick (December 11, 1950): 30–31.
Fuller (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991), 188–210.
Gossett, Philip. “Rossini Seriously.” Opera News 55, no. 7 (December
7. Stefan Zucker, “End of an Era,” Opera News 45, no. 12 (Feb- 22, 1990): 20–23.
ruary 14, 1982): 17.
8. Barbier, 191. __________. “Rossini, Gioachino.” Grove Music Online, ed. Deane
L. Root http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/
9. Weinstock, 112, 196.
artcile/grove/music/23901.
10. Ibid., 260.
11. Ibid., 274–275. __________. “Prefazione.” Album Français, Morceaux Réservés
di Gioachino Rossini. Edizione critica delle opera di Gioachino
12. Ibid., 344.
Rossini, Series 7, Vol. 2, Péchés de Vieillesee. Edited by Bruno
13. Philip Gossett, “Prefazione,” in Musique anodine, Album ital- Cagli, Alberto Zedda, Patricia Brauner, and Paolo Fabbri. Pesaro:
iano di Gioachino Rossini, Edizione Critica delle Opere di Fondazione Rossini, 1995.
Gioachino Rossini, Series 7, Vol 1 (Pesaro: fondazione Rossini,
1995). _________. “Prefazione.” Musique anodine, Album italiano di
14. Pietro Metastasio, Tutte le opera di Pietro Metastasio, a cura Gioachino Rossini. Edizione critica delle opera di Gioachino
di Bruno Brunelli (Milan: Mondadori, 1943), vol. 1, 92. Rossini, Series 7, Vol. 2, Péchés de Vieillesee. Edited by Bruno
Cagli, Alberto Zedda, Patricia Brauner, and Paolo Fabbri. Pesaro:
15. Philip Gossett, “Prefazione,” in Album français Morceaux
Fondazione Rossini, 1995.
réservés di Gioachino Rossini, Edizione Critica delle Opere
di Gioachino Rossini, Series 7, Vol 2 (Pesaro: fondazione Hughes, Patrick Cairns. “The Swan Who Could Laugh.” High
Rossini, 1989), xxvi. Fidelity 10, no. 7 (July 1960): 38–40.
16. Ibid. Kay, Elster. Bel canto. London: Dennis Dobson, 1963.
17. Ibid.
Osborne, Richard. Rossini. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1986.
18. Ibid.
19. Gossett, “Rossini, Gioachino.” Manen, Lucie. Bel canto. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.
Marek, George. “Will the Real Rossini Please Stand?” Opera News
BIBLIOGRAPHY 40, no. 11 (January 17, 1976): 24–25.
Ashbrook, William. “The Ways of Wit.” Opera News 46, no. 15 Metastasio, Pietro. Tutte les opera di Pietro Metastasio, vol. 1. A
(March 13, 1982): 24. cura di Bruno Brunelli. Milan: Mondadori, 1943.

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The Solo Songs of Gioachino Rossini

Michotte, Edmond. Richard Wagner’s Visit to Rossini (Paris 1860)

and an Evening at Rossini’s in Beau-sejour (Passy 1858). Translated
by Herbert Weinstock. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1968.
Rushmore, Robert. “The Composer as Singer.” Opera News 33,
no. 11 (January 11, 1969): 910.
Sable, Barbara Kinsey. “A Gift for Mme. Rossini.” The NATS
Bulletin 34, no. 1 (October 1977): 33.
Sinclair, Lister. “Rossini: A Lion in the Path.” Opera Canada 28,
no. 3 (1987): 20–21.
Till, Nicholas. Rossini, His Life and Times. New York: Hippocrene
Books, 1983.
Toye, Francis. “The Serious Rossini.” Opera News 27, no. 18
(March 9, 1963): 9–12.
Weinstock, Herbert. Rossini. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1968.
Zucker, Stefan. “End of an Era.” Opera News 45, no. 12 (February
14, 1981): 16–21.

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