The musician from Pavia Alessandro Rolla (Pavia, 1757-Milan, 1841), after studying mainly in Milan, was hired as a violinist in the orchestra of La Scala where he stood out for his talent and ability. Later, in 1782, he was hired as first viola of the Royal Orchestra of Parma. In the duchy, then ruled by Ferdinand of Bourbon, he carried out significant artistic and compositional activity and excelled in quartet production. He maintained close relations with the young prince Ludovico, even when the latter went to Madrid to complete his education and marry his cousin Maria Luisa, daughter of the king of Spain. For some time, he had as a pupil Niccolò Paganini who had turned to him for improvement. The latter, however, heard the Maestro say: “I have nothing to teach you; in the name of God, go to Paër. Here you would only waste your time”. After the death of Duke Ferdinand, Rolla accepted the invitation to go to Milan, invited there to fill the role of first violin and director of the orchestra of La Scala. In a duo with his son Antonio, he excelled in virtuosity on every string instrument and also taught at the Conservatory. In a pioneering manner, he proposed the compositions of Beethoven and Mozart in Italy, drawing inspiration from them for his own music. He was in fact able to adapt classical forms to pre-romantic taste, enriching his style and introducing new technical forms. He was therefore appropriately defined as the “leader of the art of Lombard violin playing”.
Extremely prolific and refined, he wrote several brilliant chamber works intended to be performed in the salons of nobles, bankers and artists, places designated for conversations, but also for listening to music. On Sundays, Rolla mainly frequented the Milanese home of the Carli bankers, his friends and patrons who owned a rich collection of string instruments. He was also often present at the home of the Duke Visconti di Modrone, to whom he dedicated some of his works of a flowing and light nature, such as the divertimento in G minor. However, in addition to composing, he took care of the organizational aspect of the orchestra, contributing to making the Scala ensemble one of the best of those years.
Program
Divertimento in G minor for violin and viola dedicated to Duke Visconti di Modrone
- I. Adagio
- II. Theme with variations – Andante mosso
- III. Adagio
- IV. Rondo -Allegro
- (from Three Divertimenti op. 6, BI 089 )
Concertino a trio in E flat major for viola, cello and bassoon BI 388
- I. Witty and determined
- II. Wide sustained
- III. Theme with variations
- IV. Allegretto
- V. Allegro
Trio concertante in C major for violin, viola and cello BI 341
- I. Allegro
- II. Slowly but not too much
- III. Rondo – Allegro
AleaEnsemble
- Andrea Rognoni, violin
- Stefano Marcocchi, purple
- Marco Frezzato, cello
- Carles Cristobal, bassoon