Giuseppe Ferrata: Émigré Pianist and ComposerThe American career of Giuseppe Ferrata (1865-1928) was a part of the legacy of the influential European émigré musicians who came to the United States in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Born in Gradoli, Italy, Ferrata studied piano with Giovanni Sgambati and Franz Liszt at the Royal Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome. He attained some renown as both a pianist and a composer in his native Italy before immigrating to the United States in 1892. He subsequently held teaching posts at various institutions in the eastern United States. In 1909, he became the first Professor of Piano and Composition at Newcomb College (now part of Tulane University) in New Orleans, where he remained until his death in 1928. Ferrata established his reputation in the United States by winning several composition prizes in his lifetime. He published many compositions including numerous piano works in both the virtuoso and salon traditions, over thirty songs, two masses, one string quartet, and three suites for organ. This book presents a historical account of Ferrata's life from his childhood in Italy, through the difficult years as an unknown émigré musician in America to his final years as a leading figure in the cultural life of New Orleans. Moreover, this book offers an overview of Ferrata's compositional style with a brief examination of his major publications, such as the Messe solenelle and the String Quartet in G Major. A catalog of Ferrata's published and unpublished compositions is included. |
Contents
Italy | 1 |
Mount St Marys College | 13 |
Greenville Female College | 23 |
Brenau College and Conservatory | 37 |
Beaver College and Musical Institute | 55 |
New Orleans 19091914 | 79 |
New Orleans 19141918 | 99 |
New Orleans The Final Years | 111 |
Epilogue | 137 |
List of FortyNine Composers in Ferratas Planning Notebook 1918 | 139 |
Compositions of Giuseppe Ferrata | 141 |
Notes | 153 |
Selected Bibliography | 175 |
About the Author | |
Common terms and phrases
Akrimane Alice Ferrata Alice Lagarde American April audience Baltimore Beaver College Bolsheviki Jazz Brenau College Chopin's Minute choral Clipping labeled competition composer concert Curtains Drawn Ernesto Ferrata excerpt extant February Ferrata dated Ferrata performed Ferrata's career Ferrata's compositions Ferrata's music Ferrata's personal Fischer & Bro Fischer to Ferrata FPTU Franz Liszt fuoriuscito Furman University G Major Gavotte George Fischer Giuseppe Ferrata Gradoli Grand Conservatory Greenville Daily Greenville Female College Hoose Huntington Ibid included Italian Spring Melodies Italy January June Leon Ryder Maxwell Liszt Louisiana Love Song manuscript March Messe solennelle Minor Mount St music director musicians Newcomb College Orchestra Orleans Pittsburgh Pope Pius X prize publication published Quartet in G rata rata's recital class Recital program repertory Ricordi Scherzino Schirmer score Serenata Sgambati solo piano Sonzogno String Quartet Symphony Times-Picayune Toccata chromatique Tone Pictures Tulane University Valse gentile Victor Herbert violin Violin and Piano York