Cherubini, Luigi

CHERUBINI, LUIGI. - Musician, b. in Florence on 14 Sept. 1760, d. in Paris on 15 March 1842. He was a pupil of his father, then of the Florentine masters Felici, Bizzarri and Castrucci. But he was trained at the school of Sarri in Bologna. In 1784 he went to England, which he left for Paris, where he had met Viotti. Despite his merits and his triumphs, Napoleon neglected him, so he went off to Vienna in 1805, where he had the Fanischa performed, which received the flattering judgment of Haydn and Beethoven.

C.'s musical output is very vast: about 20 operas, 10 masses, symphonies, cantatas, quartets, theoretical works and the Corso di contrappunto e fuga. He himself curated the catalogue of his own compositions. In 1822 he was appointed director of the Paris conservatory, which he held until his death.

C.'s art is classical, aristocratic, severe; it does not indulge in effect; it aims rather at expression, which is always powerful; for this reason some pages of his works recall Mozart and Beethoven. As a composer of sacred music he is of great importance. Even today the solid construction of his Messa in re minore and his celebrated Requiem, so greatly extolled by Berlioz, are admired.

Francesco Coradini