IMSLP Forums

I have retypeset an autograph I have uncovered: http://icking-music-archive.org/ByCompo ... ibaldi.php. The composer is a homonym of Giuseppe Garibaldi
(read the biography). There are about 18 short pieces.

Some pieces look like arrangements of Rossini, Puccini or other Italian composers, but I can't recognize them. Does anybody recognize any opera tunes?

You can hear recording samples here:
http://store.harmoniamundi.com/la-route ... me-11.html
(recordings 13 thru 24)

While I'm not a complete expert on that era of Italian opera, I know that many Italian composers of the 19th century who wrote instumental music tended to model their melodies and (simple) harmonies on the bel canto era composers, such as Rossini. The notes beforehand make it sound as if this collection was made around 1862, so Puccini would have only been four at the time. It is possible that there are allusions to Donizetti, Rossini, or Mercandante, but they are likely just original compositions in the style of these composers.

This is certainly true. There were also manuscript arrangements of Italian opera tunes in the collection I uncovered, but the original composers were clearly specified on these scores.

There are many of this type of music that remain unidentified. One such piece is Rossini's Introduction Theme and Variations for clarinet. It's based on La Donna del Iago, but no one really knows whether Rossini himself did it. It is entirely possible that someone else did the variations on Rossini's themes.

A friend recognized Rossini's Semiramide Overture in the last Garibaldi piece.
See p.27 of the Breitkopf & Haertel edition http://imslp.org/wiki/Semiramide_%28Ros ... acchino%29

I've played through the first few measures of all the pieces in the PDF and page 12 is also by Rossini. I recognize it from the fast portion of the Overture to Il Turco in Italia. The stylistic features of all the pieces would put them in the Rossini-Bellini-Donizetti era. All of the pieces might in fact be by Rossini, who wrote MANY now-obscure operas and whose style easily encompasses everything found here. None of the pieces sound like early Verdi, though this is not my particular area or era of expertise.

--Sixtus

http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/8 ... score_.pdf

Thanks. I found this page-12 tune in the orchestra score.

When I have more time I will examine the mid-section of all Rossini Overtures.

I'm pretty sure that Pages 7 and 16 are also by Rossini, though I can't place them at the moment. I now believe all the pieces are by Rossini. Look among the opera choruses or ballet music for the simpler tunes. Those tunes with lots of melismas are probably from arias. None of the pieces yet to be firmly identified are from any of Rossini's most famous opera overtures, since I know those pretty well. Then again, Rossini wrote a lot of obscure operas, most of them with overtures.

--Sixtus