Guido Guerrini (Composer, Arranger)

Born: September 12, 1890 - Faenza, Italy
Died: June 13, 1965 - Rome, Italy

The Italian composer and pedagogue, Guido Guerrini, studied with Torchi and Ferruccio Busoni at the Bologna Liceo Musicale.

After teaching on its faculty (1920-1924), Guido Guerrini taught at the Parma Conservatory (1925-1928). He then was director of the Florence Conservatory (1928-1947), the Bologna Conservatory (1947-1949), and the Conservatory di Santa Cecilia in Rome (1950-1960).

In addition to books on harmony and orchestration, Guido Guerrini published Fenucio Busoni: La vita, laftgura e l'opera (Florence, 1941) and Antonio Vivaldi: La vita e l'opera (Florence, 1951). He was especially effective in composing orchestral, sacred, and chamber pieces. His earlier works include luxuriant symphonic poems; later he wrote religious music, notably a gravely expressive Missa pro defunctis (1939).

Works

Operas:
Zalebi (1915)
Nemici (Bologna, January 19, 1921)
La vigna (1923-1925; Rome, March 7, 1935)
L'arcangelo (1930; Bologna, November 26, 1949)
Enea (Rome, February 11, 1953)

Orchestral:
Visioni dell'antico Egitto, symphonic poem (1919)
L'ultimo viaggio d'Odisseo, symphonic poem (1921)
Poemetto for cello and orchestra (1924)
Preludio a corale for organ and orchestra (1930)
3 Pieces for piano, percussion, and strings (1931)
Danza degli spiriti (1932)
7 Variations on a Sarabande by Corelli for piano and strings (1940)
Canzone e hallo forlivese for chamber orchestra (1952)
7 Variations on an Allemande by John Bull (1962-1963)

Chamber:
3 string quartets (1920, 1922, 1959)
2 piano trios (1920, 1926)
Violin Sonata (1921)
Piano Quintet (1927)
String Quintet (1950)
Piano pieces

Vocal:
Bacco ubbriaco for bass and orchestra (1938)
Il lamento di Job for bass, piano, Tarn-tarn, and strings (1938)
Missa pro defunctis "alia memoria di G. Marconi" for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra (1938-1939)
La città beata, La città perduta for solo voice or voices, chorus, and orchestra (1942)
Nativitas Cristi for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra (1952)
Vigiliae Sulamitis for mezzo-soprano and orchestra (1953)
4 Masses
Many songs

Source: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997); Music Encyclopedia
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2010)

Guido Guerrini: Short Biography | Arrangements/Transcriptions: Works | Recordings

Links to other Sites

Bibliography

A. Damerini: Proftlo critico di Guido Guerrini: Biografia e bibliografta (Milan, 1928)
P. Fragapane: Guido Guerrini e i suoi poemi sinfonici (Florence, 1932)
Catalogo delle opere di Guido Guerrini al suo settantesimo anno di etàe curriculum della sua vita e cum dell'interessato, come saluto e ricordo agli amici (Rome, 1961)