Torchi, Luigi

1858-

Composer and writer on musical subjects; born at Mordano, Bologna. After graduating from the Bologna Conservatory in 1876 he became a member of the Philharmonic Society. From 1876 to 1877 he studied composition at Naples Conservatory under Serrao, from 1878 to 1883 he attended Leipsic Conservatory, studying under Jadassohp, Paul and Reinecke and while there composed an overture to Heine's Almansor, a symphony and a string quartet, and writing articles for the Gazzetta Musicale of Milan. From 1885 to 1891 he taught musical history at the Liceo Rossini at Pesaro, then he went to the Bologna Conservatory, where since 1895 he has taught composition. He has twice been president of the Royal Academy of Music at Bologna. His critical writings include a translation of Wagner's Oper und Drama; Italian Opera o the Seventeenth Century; Italian Lyric and Instrumental Music of the Fifteenth to Eighteenth Century; a collection of pieces for the violin composed by Italian masters of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries; Eleganti canzoni ed arie italiane of the Seventeenth Century. He has begun to publish L'Arte musicale in Italia in thirty-four volumes.