Gandolfo Brancaleone, Antonio

Antonio Gandolfo was born on April 24, 1820 in Catania, in the Kingdom of Both Sicilies, with the jeweler Salvatore Gandolfo and Anna Brancaleone. His cousin, the artist was also called Antonio Gandolfo , so later the composer added the name of his mother to his father's last name. A special part in the life of his nephew was taken by his uncle Giuseppe Gandolfo , a famous painter who, having noticed musical abilities in him, helped him get a musical education. First, the future composer learned to play the organ and harpsichord with Salvatore Pappalardo in Catania, then he studied music at the Palermo Conservatory with Pietro Raimondi and Vincenzo Abatelli , along with Pietro Platania and Rosario Spedalleri .

At the request of the same uncle, the municipality of Catania sent him to Naples to continue his education. In Naples, Antonio Gandolfo Brancaleone entered the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella , where he studied harmony and counterpoint with Saverio Mercadante and Giacomo Cordella . In 1838, his Symphony in D Major ( Italian: Sinfonia in Re Maggiore ) at the Catania Municipal Theater made his debut as a composer. The composition was a success with the public. Even more successful was his first opera Sultan, or Mehmet II ( Italian: Il Sultano, o Maometto II ), based on the libretto by Enrico Cordaro , written by the composer in 1847. In 1850, it was first staged on the stage of the same municipal theater of Catania, and in 1854 on the stage of the San Carlo Theater in Naples. In the last production, the main parts were performed by tenor Emilio Pankani and soprano Carlotta Carrozzi-Zucchi . With this composition, the composer earned universal acclaim from the public and critics.

On January 2, 1851, Antonio Gandolfo Brancaleone married Theresa Leonardi, with whom he had been associated with friendship and correspondence for many years. The marriage was successful, but childless. During these years he wrote the hymn “Alfonso the Magnanimous” ( Italian: n Inno ad Alfonso il Magnanimo ) to the birthday of Ferdinando I, king of both Sicilies and, now lost, the oratorio “Defeat of the Assyrians” ( Italian: La disfatta dregli Assiri ) and “ Liberated Jerusalem ”( Italian: Gerusalemme liberata ).

The death of his uncle in 1855 forced him to return to Catania, where he was admitted to the position of director of the municipal theater. In 1859, the premiere of his second opera Catherine de Guise ( Italian: Caterina di Guisa ) on the libretto by Felice Romano was also enthusiastically received by the public. However, soon the composer was forced to leave Sicily and hide in Malta because of his irredentist beliefs . At this time, deprived of the support and inheritance of his father, he made a living by giving private music lessons.

After the unification of Italy, Antonio Gandolfo Brancaleone returned to his hometown, where he continued composing and teaching. At that time, he wrote the “Symphony for the Opening of the Vincenzo Tedeschi Monument” ( Italian: Sinfonia Inaugurazione ) and “The Funeral March” ( Italian: Marcia funebre ), which, together with the works of Pietro Antonio Coppola , Pietro Platania and Martino Frontini , was performed during the transfer of the remains of Vincenzo Bellini from Paris to Catania in 1876. In 1880, he reworked the score of his opera Sultan, or Mehmet II. His last opera, Angelo Malipieri ( Italian: Angelo Malipieri ) based on the libretto by Pietro Mobilia, remained incomplete.

In the last years of his life, the composer passed in the company of his wife and nephew Giovanni Leonardi , who was also a musician and composer. Antonio Gandolfo Brancaleone died on June 6, 1888 in Catania in extreme poverty and was buried at the expense of the municipality and close friends.

The composer's creative heritage includes 3 operas, works for vocals and compositions of church and chamber music.

• Antonino Gandolfo (neopr.) . Gandolfosfamilyarts.com. - A site about the life and work of Antonio Gandolfo Brancaleone. (ital.)
• Antonino Gandolfo (unopened) (link unavailable) . Eliodoro.net. Archived July 27, 2014. (ital.)