The Petite messe solennelle was written for performance in the lavish salon of Comtesse Louise Pillet-Will's Paris town house, not for a church.
Composer Biography
Gioachino Rossini, born in 1792, retired from composing operas at the young age of 37, after writing 36 operas in 19 years.
Instruments
This recording uses two 19th-century pianos: a Bösendorfer grand piano from 1862 and a slightly earlier Viennese model by Graf, to recreate Rossini's original sound world.
Composition History
Rossini composed the Petite messe solennelle, which he called his 'final sin of my old age', at his country vacation home in Passy.
Compositional Technique
Rossini's score for the Petite messe solennelle is rich in dynamic instructions, sometimes ranging from pppp to ff within a single phrase.
Instruments
The harmonium used in this recording is a French Debain from 1868, the same make that Rossini himself used.
Composition History
Despite its name, Rossini's Petite messe solennelle is not exactly 'petite', lasting well over an hour.
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