Giovanni Morandi 
Gran Raccolta di Sonate per organo (1823-24)
edited by Gabriele Moroni 
(Intrumental Music, 13)

XXXII, 108 pp.; 29,7 x 21 cm
Intro and Apparatus in Italian and English

Giovanni Morandi (Pergola 1777 – Senigallia 1856), a chapel master, singing coach and composer, is best known for his sacred vocal and organ music. He befriended composers (Rossini among them), singers, librettists, and impresarios. His music was disseminated by several publishers, among whom Cipriani and especially Ricordi. Together with Father Davide of Bergamo, he was the most significant early 19th-century Italian organ composer. See https://giovannimorandiorgano.wordpress.com/author/gmdasenigallia/

The Gran Raccolta di Sonate, eighteen organ compositions regrouped in six sets, is the largest collection Morandi ever issued in four decades of activity. It was printed by Cipriani, Florence, in 1823-24. Sets 1 to 5 all follow the Offertory – Elevation – Post Communio sequence, No. 6 has a Pastoral and two untitled pieces. The importance of the Gran Raccoltalies in the sheer musical quality of its pieces, sporting fresh ideas and solid form, as well as in its style, contradicting the widespread and one-sided image of Morandi's music as operatic. This edition, based on a source with many and sometimes egregious mistakes, as well as our suggested performance directions, are founded on a detailed analysis of the pieces and the inspection of the original manuscripts.

Gabriele Moroni graduated in Modern Italian literature (Urbino University), Organ and Organ composition (Parma Conservatory). He also studied piano, composition, and electronic music. Has been active for thirty years as a critic, writing over thousand record reviews. His musicological research focuses on source discovery, musical theater, organ, and 20th century repertoire. He led research projects on music archives in the Marche region, contributing to Giovanni Morandi's rediscovery. Among his publications, La musica negli archivi e nelle biblioteche delle Marche (1996); Teatro in musica a Senigallia. Repertorio degli spettacoli 1752-1860 (2001); Due maestri italiani del Novecento: Franco Donatoni e Francesco Pennisi (2002, curatela); Giovanni Morandi, Opere per organo a 4 mani. Edizione critica (2005); Teatro, strumenti e musica nella «Gazzetta di Pesaro» (2010); Alcune osservazioni sui cantanti nelle opere di Giordani (2013); La censura sulle opere di Verdi(2015). He has chaired for nine years the Marche Association for Research and Appreciation of Music Sources. He currently teaches Music history at the Pesaro Conservatory.