Raimondi, Pietro

RAIMONDI, PIETRO. - Musician, b. in Rome on 20 Dec. 1786, d. on 30 Oct. 1853.

He studied in Naples at the Conservatorio della Pietà de' Turchini and was a teacher there from 1825 to 1832; then he was director of the royal theaters from 1824 to 1832; he then 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 St. Peter in the Vatican. In addition to 48 scores for the theater and didactic works, he wrote 13 oratorios, among them the much-applauded trilogy Giuseppe (Putifarre, Giuseppe, Giacobbe), and the Mosè al Sinai; a Salmodia Ducidica for 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 voices without accompaniment, which the author's death cut short 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 St. Peter's) and a requiem for 4, 8 and 16 voices, works in all of which he displayed the rich qualities of a felicitous composer and a skilled contrapuntist.