Zanella, Amilcare

Zanella, Amilcare, Italian composer, pianist, conductor, and pedagogue; b. Monticelli d’Ongina, Piacenza, Sept. 26,1873; d. Pesaro, Jan. 9,1949. He studied with Andreotti in Cremona, then with Bottesini at the Parma Cons., graduating in 1891. In 1892 he went to South America as a pianist and opera conductor; returning to Italy in 1901, he organized his own orch., giving sym. concerts in the principal Italian cities and introducing his own works. He then was director of the Parma Cons. (1903-05) and the Liceo Rossini in Pesaro (1905-39); also served as pianist of the Trio di Pesaro (1927-19).

Works

dramatic: Opera: Aura (Pesaro, Aug. 27, 1910); La Sulamita (Piacenza, Feb. 11, 1926); Í/ Revisore, after Gogol (1938; Trieste, Feb. 20,1940). ORCH.: Concerto sinfonico for Piano and Orch. (1897-98); Fede, symphonic poem (1901); 2 syms.: No. 1 (1901) and No. 2, Sinfonia fantastica (1919); Fantasia e grande fugato sinfonico for Piano and Orch. (1902); Vita, symphonic poem (1907); Fantasia sinfonica (1918); Edgar Poe, symphonie impression (c. 1921); Poemetto for Violin and Orch. (1922); Elegia e momento frenetico for Keyed Xylophone and Strings (1923). CHAMBER: 2 piano trios (1899, 1928); Brass Quintet (n.d.); Nonet (1906); 2 string quartets (1918, 1924); Piano Quintet (1917); Violin Sonata (1917); Cello Sonata (1917); various piano pieces. VOCAL: Messa di Requiem for 3 Men’s Voices and Organ (1915); pieces for Solo Voice and Orch.; many choral works.

Bibliography

A. Z., artista, uomo, educatore (Ferrara, 1932); A. Dioli and M. Nobili, La vita e l’arte di A. Z. (Bergamo, 1941).

—Nicholas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire