Bernard Chasan [[log in to unmask]] wrote on Signore Rossini:

>Rossini is quoted as saying that he could set a menu to music- or some
>such.Maybe so, but I bet that he would not be able to use his setting to
>order breakfast.

Rossini is a good example of a composer who used somebody elses idiom
(Rossini studied Mozarts music), and could use it to express himself.
Same idiom, in an italian air, and Rossini is after all esay to tell
from Mozart, he is more soft, kindly gayhearted...

Besides can be said that I like Rossini a lot.  He indeed had one of
the greatest natural talents for music.  Now "Il barbiere di Siviglia"
is a masterpiece, but there is not a bar in it that is not inspired.
He was extremely talented, true, but I think it is sad he was a little
lazy....What doesn't need to have anything to do with that he left the
operatic scene.  As a true great artist he senced the changes that was
in the air, and as his motto was "be yourself, always", he retired in
time rather that undergo transformation or loose his good honour.

Of course one cannot fight against societys streams to to long extent,
but I still wished he had been brave, and there are many operas I would
have liked to hear.  Not just opus magnum is wonderful.

Mats Norrman
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