Charles Nolcini (1802-1844) was an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
-born
American organist and composer.
Biography
Charles Nolcini was born in Moscow, Russia, to Italian parents in 1802.
On February 20, 1820, he arrived in Boston to pursue a career as a musician and composer. In Boston, Italian composers had already left their mark.
Philip Trajetta, before moving to New York, had opened there the first American Conservatory of Music in 1801. Since 1815 conductor
Louis Ostinelli had worked there with the Handel and Haydn Society; Nolcini had with him a relationship of close friendship throughout his life.
In the summer of 1822 Nolcini moved to
Portland (Maine), where he worked not only as a music teacher but also as a teacher of French, having among his pupils the young
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely tran ...
. On October 29 of the same year
Louis Ostinelli visited Portland for a concert with his wife, pianist Sofia Hewitt, and Nolcini as soloists.
Nolcini served as organist of the Beethoven Society (1824–26) and the Second Parish Church (1826–28) in
Portland (Maine), and then the King's Chapel in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
(1828–32), the Unitarian Church in
Bangor, Maine (1832–34) and the First Unitarian Church in
Newburyport
Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...
.
Charles Nolcini Website
/ref> In addition to his activity as a musician and performer, Nolcini was also known as a composer of waltzes, marches and hymns.
After becoming an American citizen in 1842, Nolcini died prematurely two years later in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
in 1844 .
Works of Charles Nolcini
Operas
* ''The Venetian Maskers''.
Waltzers:
*1. A Military Waltz (1821)
*2. The Grasshopper's Waltz (1839)
*3. Les Sans Soucis (1839)
*4. The Tear of Gratitude Waltz (1840)
*5. "La Valse de Cupidon"
*6. Farewell Waltz
Hymns:
*1. Dedication Anthem (1826)
*2. Thanksgiving Anthem (1834)
*3. Funeral Anthem (1839)
Marches:
*1. A March Dedicated to New Beginners (1826)
*2. Java March
*3. Nolcini's March
Other compositions:
*1. Curtis's Quick Step (1840)
*2. Bunker Hill Monument (1842)
*3. My Native Hills
Notes and references
* Vincent A. Lapomarda (2000). “Charles Nolcini.” In ''The American Italian Experience: An Encyclopedia'', ed. Salvatore J. LaGumina (New York: Garland) 406-7.
* Vincent A. Lapomarda (1997). ''Charles Nolcini: The Life and Music of an Italian American in the Age of Jackson''
External links
Charles Nolcini Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nolcini, Charles
1802 births
1844 deaths
American male composers
Italian emigrants to the United States
19th-century American composers
19th-century male musicians