Marco Enrico Bossi


Marco Enrico Bossi was an Italian organist, composer, improviser and teacher.

Life

Bossi was born in Salò, a town in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, into a family of musicians. His father, Pietro, was organist at Salò Cathedral, which has a one-manual organ built by Fratelli Serassi from 1865, which was restored in 2000/2001. He had two brothers, Costante Adolfo Bossi and Pietro Bossi.
He received his musical training at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna and the Milan Conservatory, where his teachers included Amintore Galli, Francesco Sangalli, Amilcare Ponchielli and Polibio Fumagalli.
In 1881, Bossi became director of music and organist at Como Cathedral. Nine years later, he was appointed professor of organ and harmony at the Naples Conservatory. In addition, he held directorships at conservatories in Venice, Bologna and Rome, where he established and implemented the standards of organ studies that are still used in Italy today. His notable pupils included Giulio Bas, Giacomo Benvenuti, Giorgio Federico Ghedini, and Gian Francesco Malipiero. Throughout his career, Bossi made numerous international organ recital tours, which brought him in contact with well-known colleagues such as César Franck, Marcel Dupré, Alexandre Guilmant, Joseph Bonnet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Charles M. Courboin, and Karl Straube.
[Image:Welte organ bossi enrico.jpg|thumb|Recording session with Bossi for the Welte-Philharmonic-Organ, 1912.]
In November 1924, Bossi embarked on a recital tour to New York and Philadelphia, where he made important appearances at Wanamaker's department store in Philadelphia, where he played the Wanamaker Organ, the world's largest pipe organ and at Wanamaker's store in New York City which also housed a large organ. Bossi was ill during his U.S. trip. He died unexpectedly at sea while returning from the United States on 20 February 1925, and was interred at Como.

Compositions

Marco Enrico Bossi wrote more than 150 works for various genres. His catalogue of compositions is still largely unknown, except for his organ works. Andrea Macinanti is recording Marco Enrico Bossi's complete organ works for the Tactus label.

Organ solo

Tempo di suonata per organo a pieno, Op. 3Ouverture per organo, Op. 3 No. 3Intermezzo tragico, Op. 10
  • Scherzo in F major, Op. 49 No. 1
  • Scherzo in G minor, Op. 49 No. 2Impromptu à la Chopin, Op. 49 No. 3Inno trionfale, Op. 53Res Severa Magnum Gaudium: Prima suite di 4 pezzi per organo, Op. 54. Includes Preludio; Allegro moderato; Corale; Fuga4 Pieces, Op. 59:. Includes Toccata; Pastorale; Meditazione; Offertorio
  • First Sonata in D minor, Op. 60Fuga sul tema 'Feda a Bach, Op. 62Fantaisie, Op. 64Marcia di processione, Op. 686 Pieces, Op. 70. Includes Prélude; Musette; Choral; Scherzo; Cantabile; Alleluja Final
  • Second Sonata, Op. 71Marche héroïque, Op. 72Siciliana e giga, Op. 73 ; original for flute and piano; transcriptions by and Virgil Fox 3 Pieces, Op. 74. Includes Preghiera; Siciliana; OffertorioCantate Domino. Westminster Abbey - Hymne of Glory/Hymne de Gloire, Op. 76 for organ solo or organ and choirÉtude symphonique, Op. 783 Pieces, Op. 92. Includes Chant du soir in F major; Idylle in B major; Allegretto in A-flat major2 Pieces, Op. 94. Includes Élevation in E-flat major; Noël in G major
  • Scherzo, Op. 953 Pieces, Op. 97. Includes Andante con moto; Aspiration; Grand Chœur5 Pieces, Op. 104. Includes Entrée Pontificale in C major; Ave Maria in F major; Offertoire in D minor; Résignationin G major; Rédemption in C major
  • Missa pro sponso et sponsa, Op. 110. Includes Graduale; Offertorio; Communio; Marcia Nuziale/Hochzeits-Marsch5 Pieces, Op. 113. Includes Offertorio; Graduale; Canzoncina a Maria Vergine; In memoriam; Laudate DominumThema und Variationen, Op. 11510 Compositions for Organ, Op. 118. Includes Preludio; Fughetta; Pastorale; Angelus à 3; Toccata di concerto; Melodia; Invocazione; Marcia festiva; Intermezzo à 3; FinalePièce héroïque in D minor, Op. 128
  • Concert Piece in C minor, Op. 1305 Pieces in free style, Op. 132. Includes Legende in D-flat major; Trauerzug in B-flat minor; Ländliche Szene in D major; Stunde der Weihe in B major; Stunde der Freude in C major
  • Improvisation, Op. 134 No. 23 Momenti francescani, Op. 140. Includes Fervore; Colloquio colle rondini; BeatitudineTriptico, Op. 142Meditazione in una cattedrale, Op. 1442 Morceaux caractéristiques. Includes Preghiera. Fatemi la grazia in E major; Marcia dei Bardi in A-flat majorIntermezzo lirico in A-flat majorFlora misticaPostludio in E minorAve MariaSolo di ClarinettoScherzo Rapsodia
  • ''Crepuscolo''

Organ with other instruments

  • Ave Maria No. 1, Op. 50, for organ, voice & violin
  • Adagio in A-flat major, Op. 84, for violin and organ
  • Concerto for organ, Op. 100
  • * 1st version in B-flat minor with large orchestra
  • * 2nd version in A minor with four horns, timpani and string orchestraEntrata pontificale, Op. 104 No. 1, for two organsBenediction nuptiale, Op. 111 No. 1, for cello and organ
  • Concert Piece in C minor, Op. 130, for organ and orchestraEpousailles - Sposalizio, Op. 134 No. 1
  • * Méditation réligieuse Fantasia sinfonica, Op. 147, for organ and orchestra

Chamber music

  • Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 82, for violin and pianoSiciliana e giga , Op. 73, for flute and piano ; also for small orchestraRomance in A-flat major, Op. 89, for cello or viola and piano Four Pieces in the Form of a Suite, Op. 99, for violin and piano
  • Trio in D minor, Op. 107, for violin, cello and piano3 Feuillets d'album, Op. 111, for cello and piano
  • Sonata No. 2 in C major, Op. 117, for violin and pianoTrio sinfonico in D major, Op. 123, for violin, cello and pianoIl Canto dell'Anima, for cello and pianoImprovviso, for flute and pianoSanta Caterina da Siena, "Poemetto" for violin, string quartet, harp, celesta and organ

Piano

  • 7 Waltzes, Op. 93
  • 5 Morceaux, Op. 95 4 Pièces en forme d'une suite ancienne, Op. 103
  • 4 Morceaux, Op. 109
  • Album for the Young, Op. 122. Includes Caresses; Souvenir; Scherzando; Nocturne; Babillage; Gondoliera; Valse charmante; BerceuseIntermezzi goldoniani, Op. 1276 Kinderstücke, Op. 133Satire musicali
  • ''Papillons dorés''

Vocal and orchestra works

Ouverture sinfonica in E major, Op. 1, for orchestra Salve Regina, Op. 8Siciliana e giga in stile antico, Op. 73, for small orchestra ; also for flute and pianoMissa pro defunctis, Op. 83, for chorusDio siete buono, Op. 98The Blind, Op. 112; lyric scene for baritone, choir and orchestraIn memoriam No. 4, Op. 113. No. 4, for chorusCanticum canticorum, Op. 120; biblical cantata in three parts for baritone, soprano, choirs, orchestra and organIl Paradiso perduto, Op. 125; sinfonic poem in a prologue and three parts for soloists, choir, orchestra and organ
  • Suite in D minor, Op. 126, for timpani, percussion, harp and stringsIntermezzi Goldoniani, Op. 127, for string orchestraJohanna d'Arc, Op. 135; a mystery in a prologue and three parts for soloists, mixed choir, male choir, children's choirs, large orchestra and organIl Viandante; lyric dramaSanctus et Benedictus, for alto and organA Raffaello divino, for mixed choir a capella