The a Cappella Choral Music of Ildebrando Pizzetti

Abstract

The study situates Pizzetti into his times, in Italy and within the international music scene of the early twentieth century. It examines the texts that he employed and considers his uses of melody and harmony. It pays particular attention to his employment of archaic techniques. Chapter 3 focuses on his madrigalistic characteristics, showing why Pizzetti might properly be described as an expert "neo-madrigalist." Chapter 4 considers his uses of Gregorian chant and other archaic components. Receiving greatest attention among his individual compositions is his much-praised Messa di Requiem . The conclusion reviews his stylistic growth over time and probes the ways that Italy's glorious past helped, and perhaps hindered, his compositional achievements.