Mariani, Angelo

1822-1873

Italian orchestra conductor; born in Ravenna. As a child he studied violin with Pietro Casolini, later taking up harmony and composition under Levrini, a monk of Rimini, and studying with Rossini in the Liceo Filarmonico at Bologna. For a while he appeared as solo violinist in concerts, or played first violin in various orchestras, becoming conductor of the orchestra at Messina in 1844. Later he was conductor at Milan and Vicenza. In 1847 he went to Copenhagen as conductor of the Court Theatre, writing his Requiem Mass for the funeral of Christian III., during this engagement. When revolution broke out in Italy in 1848 he returned to his native land and joined the ranks of the volunteers. At the close of the war he went to Constantinople, where he composed a hymn dedicated to the Sultan, also his two grand cantatas, La Fidanzata del guerriero, and Gli Esuli, works which both represent Italy's struggles for freedom. In 1852 he returned to Genoa, where he was immediately appointed conductor of the Teatro Carlo Felice orchestra, which he made the first in Italy. He conducted at Venice and Bologna for short periods, but gave most of his attention to the orchestra at Genoa. At Pesaro in 1864 he directed the grand fetes arranged in honor of Rossini. In 1871 he introduced Lohengrin to the Italian public at Bologna, conducting that opera so successfully that he received the enthusiastic commendation of Wagner himself. He died in Genoa in 1873, and was buried at Ravenna. The city of Genoa placed a bust of him in the vestibule of Carlo Felice, gave his letters to the town library, had the portrait of Wagner, which that musician gave to him, hung in the Palazzo Ciyico, and placed his baton in the Civic Museum, beside the violin of Paganini. He was a man of magnetic personality, beloved by all the members of his orchestra. He published several collections of charming songs: Rimembranze del Bosforo; II Trovatore nella Liguria; Liete e tristi rimembranze; Nuovo Album Vocale; and Alto pezzi vocali.