Alfredo Casella (1883 - 1947)

Introduction
Alfredo Casella was born in Turin, Italy on July 25th, 1883. He came from a family of musicians and his mother, a pianist, gave him his first music lessons as a boy. In 1896, Casella went to the Conservatoire de Paris to study piano under Louis Diémer and composition under Gabriel Fauré. His fellow students included George Enescu and Maurice Ravel. While working in Paris, he became acquaintances with Igor Stravinsky, Manuel de Falla, and Claude Debussy, who Casella developed immense admiration for. Although Debussy was his idol, Casella's music was more romantic rather than impressionistic. His first symphony came out of this time, and conducted it in Monte Carlo in 1908.

After, he went back to Italy during World War I, and began teaching piano at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He was also the principle conductor of the Boston Pops from 1927 through 1929. Casella was one-third of the Trio Italiano, along with Arturo Bonucci (cello) and Alberto Poltronieri (violin). His work with the Trio gave rise to some of his most popular and well-known pieces such as A Notte Alta, the Sonatina, and the Six Studies Op. 70 for piano. His biggest success was the ballet La Giara.

Casella also organized the Vivaldi Week, which promoted Vivaldi's works. This work exposed him to the early 20th century neoclassical revival in music and in turn, influenced his own musical style.

Casella married Yvonne Müller in Paris in 1921. He later died in Rome in 1947.

La Serenata for five intruments Op. 46 (1927)
His piece la Serenata for five instruments Op. 46, was performed by José Cueto (violin), Nathaniel Silberschlag (french horn), Zachary Silberschlag (trumpet), Alec Manasse (clarinet), and Matthew Chen (cello) at the Alba Music Festival in Alba, Italy. This piece has five movements I. Marcia, II. Notturno, III. Gavotta, IV. Cavatina, and V. Finale. It was initially written in 1927. The second movement, Notturno, is intense and darker sounding, and the third movement Gavotta sounds sad and longing. The fourth movement picks up and begins to sound happy. This piece told a journey of someone being sad, and coming out of that darkness and becoming happy again.

Observations
Casella is regarded as one of the best-known Italian piano virtuosos of his generation. His first period is coined as romantic, with influences of Strauss and Mahler. His work from 1939 on had great influence from the 20th century neoclassical period. His editions of JS Bach and Beethoven's piano works, among others, showed major influence on the musical tastes and styles of Italian players in further generations.