Bottesini's Requiem received mostly negative reviews from critics, likely due to comparisons with Verdi's Requiem from three years prior, and fell into neglect for a century.
Composition History
Bottesini's Requiem was composed in early 1877 in response to the death of his brother Luigi.
Composer Biography
Giovanni Bottesini, a double bass player and conductor, was known as the 'Paganini of the double bass' and earned worldwide fame touring until months before his death.
Compositional Technique
In his Requiem, Bottesini gives the leading role not to the strings, but to the woodwind, often entrusting them with the principal theme.
Composer Biography
Despite earning a fortune during his lifetime, Bottesini died penniless, with his funeral expenses covered by Parma's city council.
Composer Biography
Bottesini was a pioneer in Italy for combining the roles of soloist and conductor, gaining international praise for his precision and fidelity to composers' intentions.
Notable Performances
The first performance of Bottesini's Requiem was in adapted form in a Capuchin chapel in Cairo, where women were not allowed to sing in church.
You might also enjoy...
Ponchielli: Messa
Rossini : Petite messe solennelle
Frisina: Passio Caeciliae
Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle
Rossini: Petite messe solennelle
Gabrieli: Music for Brass, Vol. 3
Morricone: Main Theme (From “Once Upon a Time in the West”)
Concerto in D Minor: II. Adagio
Rossini: Petite Messe solennelle
Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op. 1, MS 25 (Arr. M. Skoryk for Orchestra)
