Leandro Campanari
Encyclopedia
Leandro CampanariAlthough Baker gives his dob as 1857,The New York Times (March 25, 1906) gives his dob. as October 20, 1859, as does the music magazine The Etude (1910). The Etude biographical note is based on a personal interview. was an Italian violinist, conductor, composer and music teacher. He was the brother of cellist and baritone Giuseppe Campanari
.
, Italy
on 20th October, 1859. He commenced his studies at a very early age, and so pronounced was his talent that he was sent by the city of Venice to the Musical Institute of Padua at the age of 9. At the age of 12 he toured Italy as a violinist prodigy
. The tour also took him to London where he played under Julius Benedict
. Later he was associated with Franco Faccio
and Antonio Bazzini
. When 15 years old, he entered the Conservatory of Music in Milan
and studied the violin, harmony, counterpoint and conducting with the most eminent teachers of that institution. At 19 he graduated and went to England with an orchestra, where he had a very successful season.His fellow-student, Puccini, graduated in the same year (New York Times (Apr.24, 1939)) He then toured Italy and France as a virtuoso. After this tour he returned to Italy and commenced his work as a conductor.
He also taught privately and one of his pupils was an American violinist from New York by the name of Persis Bell, a protégée of Julius Eichberg
. They married in 1880.The Imdb has an erroneous entry stating that Persis Bell was married to Leandro's brother Giuseppe Campanari
, also appearing in many concerts throughout the United States. He returned to Europe, but came back to America, where he remained for three years as the head of the Violin School at the New England Conservatory of Music
, in Boston. He also assumed the direction of the music at the Church of the Immaculate Conception and brought out many important sacred works for the first time in that city.
, Catalani
, Sgambati
, Bazzini
, Arturo Vanbianchi, Frugatta, Bossi
, Andreoli, composed music specially for the Campanari Quartet.
He returned to the United States and in 1890 he became professor of violin at the Cincinnati College of Music, succeeding Schradieck, and remaining in that position for six years.
Returning to Italy in 1896, he divided his time between Milan, Paris and London. He gave a series of symphony concerts at La Scala
, and the cycle of Beethoven symphonies at the Lyric Theatre in Milan. At one of these concerts Edvard Grieg
was in the audience and at the end of the program warmly congratulated Campanari on his direction. The orchestra then went on tour, meeting with pronounced success. The next important engagement of Campanari and his orchestra was in London, at the Imperial Institute, for a long and very successful season of nearly four months. In Milan he introduced several first performances in Italy of now-famous orchestral works. He also conducted opera in Milan, Venice and Genoa. ·While in Genoa, he was given the opportunity to play Paganini's violin, Il Cannone Guarnerius. He played Gounod's Ave Maria and Liszt's Campanella.
as one of the opera conductors of Hammerstein's Opera Company
. He also conducted the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra for a short time. With the same organization he appeared in Reading, Trenton, Wilmington, Washington and Baltimore for performances of Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony." He also conducted in Los Angeles
and San Francisco. Owing to the serious illness of his wife, Persis Bell, an American lady and once a violinist of note, Campanari removed to California
, but after her recovery, he resumed his work as a virtuoso and a conductor.
Campanari died in San Francisco in 1939. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California
.
Giuseppe Campanari
Giuseppe Campanari Cooke gives his date of birth as 17 November 1858 but this is unlikely given the d.o.b. of his brother Leandro. was an Italian-born operatic baritone and cellist...
.
Career
Leandro Campanari was born in RovigoRovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 20th October, 1859. He commenced his studies at a very early age, and so pronounced was his talent that he was sent by the city of Venice to the Musical Institute of Padua at the age of 9. At the age of 12 he toured Italy as a violinist prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
. The tour also took him to London where he played under Julius Benedict
Julius Benedict
Sir Julius Benedict was a German-born composer and conductor, resident in England for most of his career.-Life:...
. Later he was associated with Franco Faccio
Franco Faccio
Franco Faccio was an Italian composer and conductor.-Biography:Born in Verona, Faccio became known as a conductor of Verdi's music. He studied music at the Milan Conservatory where he was a pupil of Stefano Ronchetti-Monteviti...
and Antonio Bazzini
Antonio Bazzini
Antonio Joseph Bazzini was an Italian violinist, composer and teacher. As a composer his most enduring work is his chamber music which has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century...
. When 15 years old, he entered the Conservatory of Music in Milan
Music Conservatoire "Giuseppe Verdi", Milan
The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premisses in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,...
and studied the violin, harmony, counterpoint and conducting with the most eminent teachers of that institution. At 19 he graduated and went to England with an orchestra, where he had a very successful season.His fellow-student, Puccini, graduated in the same year (New York Times (Apr.24, 1939)) He then toured Italy and France as a virtuoso. After this tour he returned to Italy and commenced his work as a conductor.
He also taught privately and one of his pupils was an American violinist from New York by the name of Persis Bell, a protégée of Julius Eichberg
Julius Eichberg
Julius Eichberg was a German-born composer, musical director and educator who worked mostly in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.-Biography:...
. They married in 1880.The Imdb has an erroneous entry stating that Persis Bell was married to Leandro's brother Giuseppe Campanari
Giuseppe Campanari
Giuseppe Campanari Cooke gives his date of birth as 17 November 1858 but this is unlikely given the d.o.b. of his brother Leandro. was an Italian-born operatic baritone and cellist...
Boston Symphony Orchestra
In 1881 he came to America and made his debut as a soloist with the Boston Symphony OrchestraBoston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
, also appearing in many concerts throughout the United States. He returned to Europe, but came back to America, where he remained for three years as the head of the Violin School at the New England Conservatory of Music
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...
, in Boston. He also assumed the direction of the music at the Church of the Immaculate Conception and brought out many important sacred works for the first time in that city.
Campanari String Quartet
After his service in Boston, Campanari returned to Italy in 1886 and organized the Campanari String Quartet,Leandro Campanari, I violin; Ercole Ortori, II violin; Guglielmo Andreoli, viola; Gerardo Vollmar, cello. (Instituzione La Casa della Musica, Parma)http://www.lacasadellamusica.it/reinach/anni/1890.htm which toured with great success for two years. During that time many composers of note, among them PucciniGiacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
, Catalani
Alfredo Catalani
Alfredo Catalani was an Italian operatic composer. He is best remembered for his operas Loreley and La Wally...
, Sgambati
Giovanni Sgambati
Giovanni Sgambati was an Italian composer.Born to an Italian father and an English mother, Sgambati, who lost his father early, received his early education at Trevi, in Umbria, where he wrote some church music and obtained experience as a singer and conductor...
, Bazzini
Antonio Bazzini
Antonio Joseph Bazzini was an Italian violinist, composer and teacher. As a composer his most enduring work is his chamber music which has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century...
, Arturo Vanbianchi, Frugatta, Bossi
Marco Enrico Bossi
Marco Enrico Bossi was an Italian organist, composer, improviser and pedagogue.-Life:Bossi was born in Salò, a town in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, into a family of musicians. His father, Pietro, was organist at Salò Cathedral, which has a one-manual organ built by Fratelli Serassi from 1865...
, Andreoli, composed music specially for the Campanari Quartet.
He returned to the United States and in 1890 he became professor of violin at the Cincinnati College of Music, succeeding Schradieck, and remaining in that position for six years.
Returning to Italy in 1896, he divided his time between Milan, Paris and London. He gave a series of symphony concerts at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, and the cycle of Beethoven symphonies at the Lyric Theatre in Milan. At one of these concerts Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
was in the audience and at the end of the program warmly congratulated Campanari on his direction. The orchestra then went on tour, meeting with pronounced success. The next important engagement of Campanari and his orchestra was in London, at the Imperial Institute, for a long and very successful season of nearly four months. In Milan he introduced several first performances in Italy of now-famous orchestral works. He also conducted opera in Milan, Venice and Genoa. ·While in Genoa, he was given the opportunity to play Paganini's violin, Il Cannone Guarnerius. He played Gounod's Ave Maria and Liszt's Campanella.
Hammerstein's Opera Company
In 1907, he appeared in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as one of the opera conductors of Hammerstein's Opera Company
Oscar Hammerstein I
Oscar Hammerstein I was a businessman, theater impresario and composer in New York City. His passion for opera led him to open several opera houses, and he rekindled opera's popularity in America...
. He also conducted the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra for a short time. With the same organization he appeared in Reading, Trenton, Wilmington, Washington and Baltimore for performances of Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony." He also conducted in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and San Francisco. Owing to the serious illness of his wife, Persis Bell, an American lady and once a violinist of note, Campanari removed to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but after her recovery, he resumed his work as a virtuoso and a conductor.
Campanari and Verdi
Leandro Campanari's acquaintance with Verdi extended over a period of many years. As a youth he played in an orchestra conducted by the composer, and Verdi's last work was first given under the direction of Campanari. The conductor's brother, Umberto Campanari, a lawyer, was one of the executors of the estate of Verdi. Leandro wrote an intimate piece about his relationship with the master for The Etude (1910).Pedagogy
Campanari moved to San Francisco in 1907, where he became director of the California Conservatory of Music. He taught both violin and voice.Works
Campanari composed many English songs and three text-books for violin playing.Campanari died in San Francisco in 1939. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.