''The Companion Guide to Rome'' is a composition for

string trio A string trio is a group of three string instruments or a piece written for such a group. From at least the 19th century on, the term "string trio" with otherwise unspecified instrumentation normally refers to the combination violin, viola and cell ...

by the American composer

Andrew Norman Andrew Norman (born October 31, 1979) is an American composer of contemporary classical music whose texturally complex music is influenced by architecture and the visual arts. His string trio '' The Companion Guide to Rome'' (2010), was a runne ...

. The complete work was first performed on May 30, 2010 by the Scharoun Ensemble at Radialsystem V in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

. Norman, Andrew (2010)
''The Companion Guide to Rome''
Retrieved December 25, 2015. The composition was a finalist for the 2012

Pulitzer Prize for Music The Pulitzer Prize for Music is one of seven Pulitzer Prizes awarded annually in Letters, Drama, and Music. It was first given in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year, and this was eventually converted ...

Composition

Structure

''The Companion Guide to Rome'' has a duration of roughly 30 minutes and is composed in nine

movements Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...

: #Teresa #Benedetto #Susanna #Pietro #Ivo #Clemente #Lorenzo #Cecilia #Sabina The ninth movement, "Sabina," was originally composed as a standalone piece in 2006 for the Janaki String Trio. It can be performed separately or as part of the complete work.

Inspiration

The title of the work comes from the eponymous 1965 guidebook to

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

Georgina Masson Georgina Masson (1912–1980) was a British author and photographer. Born Marion Johnson, and known as Babs to her friends, Georgina Masson is her literary pseudonym. Johnson was born in Rawalpindi, India, on 23 March 1912. She was the daugh ...

. The movements thus commemorate nine of Norman's favorite Roman churches mentioned in the text. Norman wrote in the score program note:The inspiration for each movement is as follows: #''Teresa'': '' The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa ''by

Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...

in the Cornaro Chapel,

Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome Santa Maria della Vittoria ( en, Saint Mary of Victory, la, S. Mariae de Victoria) is a Catholic titular church and basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome, Italy. The church is known for the masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the Corn ...

#''Benedetto'': the

Cosmatesque Cosmatesque, or Cosmati, is a style of geometric decorative inlay stonework typical of the architecture of Medieval Italy, and especially of Rome and its surroundings. It was used most extensively for the decoration of church floors, but was also u ...

floors in San Benedetto in Piscinula #''Susanna'': a

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

of the Mary in Majesty in the Chiesa di Santa Susanna #''Pietro'':

Donato Bramante Donato Bramante ( , , ; 1444 – 11 April 1514), born as Donato di Pascuccio d'Antonio and also known as Bramante Lazzari, was an Italian architect and painter. He introduced Renaissance architecture to Milan and the High Renaissance style ...

Tempietto Tempietto (Italian: "small temple") generally means a small temple-like or pavilion-like structure and is a name of many places in Italy: * San Pietro in Montorio#The Tempietto in Rome, a tomb by Donato Bramante * Villa Barbaro#Church (Tempietto ...

#''Ivo'': Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza #''Clemente'':

Basilica di San Clemente The Basilica of Saint Clement ( it, Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano) is a Latin Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Pope Clement I located in Rome, Italy. Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) ...

#''Lorenzo'': a part of the Cosmatesque floor in the Basilica Papale di San Lorenzo fuori la mura #''Cecilia'': The statue of St. Cecelia by

Stefano Maderno Stefano Maderno (''c.'' 1576 – 17 September 1636) was one of the greatest Roman sculptors of the early 17th century. Biography Information about Maderno's life is scarce and often contradictory. He was long supposed to have been a brothe ...

Santa Cecilia in Trastevere Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th-century church in Rome, Italy, in the Trastevere rione, devoted to the Roman martyr Saint Cecilia (early 3rd century AD). History The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pop ...

#''Sabina'':

Santa Sabina The Basilica of Saint Sabina ( la, Basilica Sanctae Sabinae, it, Basilica di Santa Sabina all'Aventino) is a historic church on the Aventine Hill in Rome, Italy. It is a titular minor basilica and mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Pre ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Companion Guide to Rome, The Compositions by Andrew Norman 2006 compositions 2010 compositions Contemporary classical compositions Chamber music compositions Music about Rome