PIETRO RAIMONDI. — Musician, born in Rome on 20 Dec. 1786, died on 30 Oct. 1853.
He studied at the Conservatory of the Pietà de’ Turchini in Naples and was a teacher there from 1825 to 1832; then he served as director of the royal theatres from 1824 to 1832; subsequently he went 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. Besides more than 48 scores for the theatre and didactic works, he wrote 13 oratorios, including the highly acclaimed trilogy Giuseppe (Pitifarre, Giuseppe, Giacobbe) and Mosè al Sinai; a Psalmodia Davidica for 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 unaccompanied voices, which the author’s death left unfinished at the sixth volume. He also composed 2 grand Masses for 2 separate orchestras in 8 real parts, various works for the Cappella Giulia (Masses, psalms, hymns for St Peter) and a Requiem for 4, 8 and 16 voices—all works in which he displayed the rich qualities of a felicitous composer and skilled contrapuntist.