Giacomo Puccini (senior)

Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini ("senior") (1712-1781) was an 18th-century Italian composer who lived and worked primarily in Lucca, Tuscany. He was the first of five generations of composers, the most famous of whom was his great-great-grandson, the opera composer Giacomo Puccini.[1][2]

Career

Puccini studied in Bologna under Giuseppe Carretti, who was maestro di cappella at Bologna's San Petronio Basilica.[3][4] In Bologna Puccini became friends with Padre Martini.[4] After returning to Lucca in 1739, he served as organist in the cathedral and later Maestro di Cappella to the Most Serene Republic.[3] Puccini belonged to the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna and was a skilled teacher.[2]

His musical style incorporated elements of both the Baroque and early Classic periods.[5] Puccini was known as an excellent organist.[3] He wrote many dramatic and sacred works, including a Te Deum for four voices and instruments, a Domine for four voices, masses, and psalm settings.[3][4] Between 1733 and 1780, Puccini wrote 31 servizi ecclesiastici for the annual Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Festa della Esaltazione della Santa Croce).[3][4] Some of Puccini's works, including a processional motet in eight voices, continued to be performed into at least the early 19th Century.[3] A Requiem for eight voices by Puccini was performed at the Vienna Musical Exposition of 1892, together with music by his son Antonio, grandson Domenico, and great-grandson Michele.[6]

Compositions

The Puccini musical dynasty

Five generations of the Puccini family were composers in Lucca.[1][2][7]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Banner 2010
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 S. Puccini 1994
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Gervasoni 1812
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Musica e musicisti 1903
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 requiemsurvey.org
  6. ↑ Streatfield 1895
  7. ↑ Fairtile 1998, p. 74.

References

Recordings

External links