(Piano, orchestra leader, b. 1960) Arturo O’Farrill is the pianist and music director of the Latin jazz orchestra his father, Chico O’Farrill, organized upon his comeback in the mid-1990s; he has also worked with keyboardist-composer-bandleader Carla Bley, trumpeter Lester Bowie and the Fort Apache Band. Upon Chico’s death in 2000, Arturo inherited his bandbook and ...
(Trumpet, composer, arranger, 1921–2001) Arturo ‘Chico’ O’Farrill arrived in New York from Havana in 1948 with a self-confessed low opinion of his native Cuban music by comparison with jazz, but found inspiration in the developing Afro-Cuban jazz movement led by Dizzy Gillespie, Machito and Mario Bauzá. He became a key figure in creating what he called the ...
1867–1957 Italian conductor Trained as a cellist, Toscanini was artistic director of La Scala, Milan 1898–1903, 1906–08 and 1920–29, and of the Metropolitan Opera, New York 1908–15. A strict disciplinarian, he inspired devotion for his artistic integrity, his respect for the composer’s intentions and the electricity of his performances. He conducted the New York ...
The Teatro alla Scala – known outside Italy as La Scala, Milan – is one of the world’s most famous opera houses and originally opened in the sixteenth century as the Salone Margherita in the Palazzo Ducale. Both this theatre and another built on its site, the Teatro Regio Ducale, burned down, in 1708 and 1776 respectively. ...
Like a great river that runs endlessly, forming numerous tributary streams as it flows, jazz continues to evolve over time. And no matter how far the River Jazz may flow from its source – whether through stylistic evolution or technological innovation – the essential spirit of the music remains intact. Granted, the more academic and esoteric extrapolations of ...
Composed: 1902 Premiered: 1902, Milan Libretto by Arturo Colautti, after Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé’s play Adrienne Lecouvreur Act I Backstage at the Comédie-Française, the stage manager Michonnet tries to propose to the actress Adriana Lecouvreur, but she loves Maurizio, who is the Count of Saxony in disguise. She gives Maurizio some violets. An intercepted letter ...
While writing Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti observed a common custom of the 1830s; tailoring his music to the voices of the original cast. For example, Fanny Tacchinardi-Persiani (1812–67), who created the role of Lucia, was technically brilliant and Donizetti’s writing reflected her outstanding abilities. Matching music to performers was a shrewd move: the formula increased the popularity of ...
1912–97 British conductor Solti joined the Budapest Opera as a répétiteur (coach), and assisted Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) at the 1936 and 1937 Salzburg Festivals. After spending the war years in Switzerland, he was music director at the Bavarian State Opera 1946–52, in Frankfurt 1952–61, and at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden 1961–71. He was also music director ...
1842–1918, Italian Although best known as a librettist, Arrigo Boito was also a composer in his own right. He studied music in Milan with Alberto Mazzucato (1813–77). Later he went to Paris, where he met Verdi and began to think about subjects for operas. The choice was between Nero, the Roman Emperor, and Faust – a ...
1866–1950, Italian It was the intention of Francesco Cilea’s father that his son should enter the legal profession. It was not to be, however, and under the tutelage of Paolo Serrao, Beniamino Cesi and Giuseppe Martucci at the Naples Conservatory, he quickly made a name for himself. His first opera, Gina (1889), was performed during ...
1794–1854, Italian The Italian tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini was said to ‘enchant’ listeners with his powerful yet sweet and subtle voice. He was also able to move his audiences to tears with his famous musical ‘sob’. Bellini created several roles for Rubini, including Gualtieri in Il pirata, Elvino in La sonnambula and Arturo in I puritani. The qualities ...
(Joo’-sep-pa Ver’-de) 1813–1901 Italian composer Verdi composed 28 operas over a period of 54 years. In his native Italy he became immensely popular early in his career, and by the time he died he was idolized as the greatest Italian composer of the nineteenth century. In other musical centres of Europe it took a little longer for Verdi’s genius to be ...
(Goos’-taf Ma’-ler) 1860–1911 Austrian composer and conductor Gustav Mahler bestrode the world of music at the end of the nineteenth century. ‘My time will come’, he remarked about his often misunderstood compositions. For Mahler the conductor, due recognition did come during his lifetime, but another half-century had to pass before a fully sympathetic appreciation of his creative achievement was possible ...
1882–1977 American conductor Born in London, Stokowski was organist of St James’s, Piccadilly, and of St Bartholomew’s, New York. A conducting post in Cincinnati led to his appointment as music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, 1912–36, where he created the world-famous ‘Philadelphia sound’. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Arturo Toscanini | Modern ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1977–present) The Neville Brothers – Art (keyboards, vocals), Aaron (percussion, vocals), Charles (saxophone, vocals) and Cyril (percussion, vocals) – have been one of New Orleans’ foremost musical families since 1954. Art led Allen Toussaint’s house band (the Meters) from the late 1960s, before convening his brothers into a unit in 1976. They released ...
AUTHORITATIVE
An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
CURATED
Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.