Fanciulli, Francesco

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Fanciulli, Francesco

Fanciulli, Francesco, Italian-American conductor and composer; b. Porto San Stefano, July 17, 1850; d. N.Y., July 17, 1915. He studied in Florence. After some years as an opera conductor in Italy, he went to America (1876) and earned his living as an organist and theatrical conductor. In 1893 he succeeded Sousa as conductor of the Marine Band in Washington, D.C., and then was bandmaster of the 71st Regiment in N.Y. (1898–1904); after that, he conducted his own band. He wrote 5 operas, including Priscilla (Norfolk, Va., Nov. 1, 1901), as well as a number of marches and other pieces for band, orch. music, choral works, chamber music, songs, and piano pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire