RAIMONDI, PIETRO. - Musician, b. in Roma on 20 Dec. 1786, d. on 30 Oct. 1853.
He studied in Napoli at the Conservatorio della Pietà de' Turchini and taught there from 1825 to 1832; he was then director of the royal theatres from 1824 to 1832; he subsequently moved to Palermo as director of the Conservatory from 1832 to 1852, when he was appointed (12 Dec.) maestro of the Cappella Giulia in the basilica of S. Pietro in Vaticano. Besides 48 scores for the theatre and didactic works, he wrote 13 oratorios, including the highly acclaimed trilogy Giuseppe (Putifarre, Giuseppe, Giacobbe), and Mosè al Sinai; a Salmodia Ducidica for 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 unaccompanied voices, which the author's death interrupted at vol. VI. He also wrote 2 great masses for 2 separate orchestras in 8 real parts, various compositions for the Cappella Giulia (masses, psalms, hymns for S. Pietro), and a requiem for 4, 8, and 16 voices, works in all of which he displayed the rich gifts of a felicitous composer and skilled contrapuntist.