Lao Silesu

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Stanislao Silésu (* 5. July 1883 in Samassi , Sardinia ; † 9. August 1953 in Paris ; actually Stanislao Silesu , also known as Leo Silesu ) was an Italian composer of U and classical music .

Life

Lao Silesu comes from an old artistic family in Sardinia. His father, like almost all of his ancestors, was a cathedral organist in Iglesias , a small town in the south-west of the island, which has always had a lively cultural tradition. Lao Silesu received his first musical training from his father, who recognized and promoted the talent of the son, later often referred to as a “child prodigy”, early on.

At the age of ten, Silesu began to compose and to make a name for himself as a pianist in first concerts, only to represent his father on the organ a few years later with improvisations of baroque church music. Silesu completed his education at the Milan Conservatory and then went to the French capital, where he completed his studies under the guidance of Vincent d'Indy . Paris would then quickly become his second home, even though Silesu maintained an intimate relationship with Sardinia despite everything. His most mature and important works come from his Paris years, often compositions inspired by Sardinian folk music, such as the Sardinian Rhapsody and Astore, an opera inspired by a novella by the Sardinian Nobel Prize winner Grazia Deledda and known as the “Sardinian Cavalleria rusticana ”.

A close friendship and regular correspondence connected Silesu with Giacomo Puccini , who repeatedly congratulated the Sardinian on his successes. Silesu demonstrates an excellent knowledge of the composition and impresses in many works with its own style.

Works

The extensive list of works by Lao Silesu contains both classical and extremely popular works: serenades , songs, operettas, musical comedies, but also a number of concert waltzes, nocturnes, sonatas, preludes and other piano works, as well as orchestral works, trios, several operas and one monumental Carmen saeculare for four solo voices, large choir and orchestra.

Lao Silesu delighted the audience in the concert halls and theaters with his compositions and often performed as a pianist himself. Artists like Puccini, Ravel , de Falla , Debussy and Massenet knew and appreciated the Sardinian and his works. Enrico Caruso recorded some of his most beautiful songs on the newly developed shellac records and even today artists of international standing like to sing pieces by Lao Silesu, whose compositions were already widely played pieces of music in the so-called Belle Epoque . Even Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra took Silesus pieces in their repertoire. His Un peu d'amour became a worldwide success that has remained known to this day without necessarily being linked to the name of its creator.

In almost all of his compositions, Lao Silesu follows the line of the style of the French school used at the turn of the century, but in principle remained connected to the structures of the late Romanticists . In the midst of the style wars of the late 19th century, he stood at the side of Rachmaninov , Respighi , Casella or de Falla, unaffected by the more progressive currents of his time, such as those represented by Arnold Schönberg and his students.

Edward VIII of England called him “King of Melody” because of the extraordinary ability of his music to delight European audiences.

Discography

  • Piano Works . Roberto Piana, pianoforte. Editorial Documenta (2009)
  • Symphonic Works . Roberto Piana, pianoforte - Alberto Peyretti, direttore. Inedita Edizioni (2003)
  • Opera per pianoforte . Roberto Piana, pianoforte. Piana Editore (1999)
  • Rapsodia Sarda and other symphonic works , Editions Européennes (1989)
  • Concerto for piano and orchestra . Editions Européennes (1988)
  • A Little Love, A Little Kiss. John McCormack. The Acoustic Victor and HMV Recordings (1912-14)

literature

  • Jens Peter Roeber: Rapsodia sarda; monografia su vita et opera di Lao Silesu. Cagliari, Collezione Castello, 1990.
  • Roberto Piana: Lao Silesu; impressioni di Sardegna. Sassari, Magnum-Edizioni, 2005.
  • Roberto Piana: Lao Silesu; un sardo a parigi. Cargeghe, Documenta Edizioni, 2007.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Silesu, Lao
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Silesu, Stanislao; Silesu, Leo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian composer
DATE OF BIRTH July 5, 1883
PLACE OF BIRTH Samassi , Sardinia
DATE OF DEATH August 9, 1953
Place of death Paris