Giuseppe Verdi - Messa da Requiem

Although Requiem was a religious work, it was presented more in concert halls than in churches. Giuseppe Verdi wrote the famous Requiem in honour of his close friend, Alessandro Manzoni, the great Italian poet, writer, and humanist, who died in 1873. It is a powerful fusion of intense drama and passion, with moments of reverent simplicity. Verdi conducted the first performance at St. Mark's Church in Milan on May 22, 1874, the first anniversary of Manzoni's death. Revolutionary composition Verdi's Requiem has been revolutionary in two respects: First, because while the traditional requiem is a prayer of the living for the dead, Verdi's work was a function as much for the living as for the dead. As Verdi would expect, it's a dramatic, theatrical play. Written for four solo voices (soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor and bass) with full choir and orchestra, it follows the typical Roman Catholic Latin mass for the dead. The "libretto" certainly comes from the dram
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Gioachino Rossini - La Danza (Tarantella Napoletana)

From 1830 to 1835, Gioachino Rossini composed various arias and duets for singers of Parisian society where he used to patronise. These works were published in a volume entitled Soirées Musicales in 1835. La Danza was written in the cheerful style of the 18th century tarantella. 

The orchestra creates the scene with the frenetic rhythm of the Neapolitan tarantella which was extremely popular at the time. The tenor enters holding an impressively long note and then joins wholeheartedly with the spirit of the work. The percussion section, which includes a cymbal, a drum and a triangle, complements the noisy but cheerful music.

The second half of the song features a military feel, with a sharp accompaniment played by the strings. The music breaks out in the chorus with a new glowing tonality and a short orchestral section leads to a second verse and to the final choral.


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