Composer

:

Gioachino Rossini

Genre

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Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Average_duration

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36:09

Movement_count

:

8

Movement ....

Gioachino Rossini's "Péchés de vieillesse, Book 4 (Quatre mendiants & quatre hors d'oeuvres)" is a collection of eight pieces for piano, composed in 1857. The premiere of the work took place in Paris in 1868, after Rossini's death. The first four pieces, "Quatre mendiants," are named after four mendicant orders of the Catholic Church: the Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, and Augustinians. Each piece is characterized by a different mood and style, reflecting the order it represents. The first piece, "Les Franciscains," is a lively and playful scherzo, while the second, "Les Dominicains," is more contemplative and introspective. "Les Carmélites" is a delicate and ethereal piece, while "Les Augustins" is a lively and rhythmic dance. The second half of the collection, "Quatre hors d'oeuvres," consists of four short pieces that are meant to be played as appetizers before a meal. Each piece is named after a different dish: "Les radis," "Les cornichons," "Les oignons," and "Les anchois." These pieces are characterized by their light and playful nature, with Rossini using various musical techniques to imitate the sounds and flavors of the dishes they represent. Overall, "Péchés de vieillesse, Book 4 (Quatre mendiants & quatre hors d'oeuvres)" is a charming and lighthearted collection of piano pieces that showcases Rossini's wit and musical versatility. Despite being composed late in his life, the work demonstrates that Rossini's musical genius remained undiminished until the end.

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