Nino Rota
Upcoming Performances
About Nino Rota
If anyone reckons that all that I am attempting to express in my music is a little nostalgia and lots of humour and optimism, well that is exactly how I would like to be remembered. (Nino Rota)
Nino Rota was born in Milan on 3 December 1911. He gained a reputation as a child prodigy at the early age of twelve with the performance of the oratorio L’infanzia di San Giovanni Battista which he had composed four years previously. His pianist mother ensured that he received a solid musical education and Rota began studies at the Conservatory in Milan the very same year. In 1925/26, he composed the fairy tale opera Il principe porcaro based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen. Following his studies with Ildebrando Pizzetti, Rota went to Rome in 1926 where he studied at the Santa Cecilia conservatory with Alfredo Casella and received his diploma in piano and composition three years later. Following the recommendation of Arturo Toscanini, he subsequently studied composition (with Rosario Scalero) and conducting (with Fritz Reiner) at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia from1931 to1932. He made acquaintance with Aaron Copland and developed an interest in American folklore, major Hollywood films and the music of George Gershwin. On his return to Italy, he completed his doctoral thesis in 1937 on the 16th century musicologist Gioseffo Zarlino. Rota was appointed as professor at the Conservatory in Bari in 1939 and director of the same institute in 1950 (until 1977) where one of his most well-known pupils was Riccardo Muti. The composer’s lifelong collaboration with Federico Fellini began in 1952. Rota died in Rome on 10 April 1979; his extensive estate is supervised by the Fondazione Cini in Venice.
Rota attracted the attention of both public and press in the 1930s with chamber music and orchestral works. The composer was a notable imitator of older musical styles. In Rota’s symphonic works, it is the association with Romantic music in the style of Dvorák which particularly comes to the fore, whereas his fascination with Neo-Classical forms can be observed in his chamber music which at times displays a touch of parody.
Rota composed a total of 150 film scores which include compositions for outstanding classics such as Federico Fellini’s La dolce vita (1960), I clowns (1970), Amarcord (1973), Il Casanova di Federico Fellini (1976), Luchino Visconti’s Il Gattopardo (1963), Giulietta degli spiriti (1965) and Francis Coppola’s The Godfather (1972). Rota was ingenious in fulfilling the wishes of film directors, and the success of his film scores cannot merely be attributed to the composer’s extraordinary melodic concepts, but to an equal degree on the direct relationship of the music to the image. Music itself becomes the main theme in Prova d’orchestra (1979), Rota’s final collaboration with Fellini. The deterioration within the sphere of musical life becomes a caricature of modern society.
Rota’s output for concert hall and stage includes ten operas, 23 ballet and stage compositions, three symphonies, three concertos each for piano and cello and a substantial range of choral works and chamber music. The opera Aladino e la lampada magica (1963-65) based on the well-known fairy tale from the “Arabian Nights” received its first performance in Naples in 1968. The ballet suite Le Molière imaginaire (1976-78) is one of Rota’s last major compositions for music theatre. In addition to the film scores which exist in a large variety of arrangements ranging from piano solo to orchestra, it is primarily Rota’s chamber music works such as the Sonata en sol for viola and piano (1970) and the Trio for clarinet, cello and piano (1973) which are currently included in the concert repertoire of numerous musicians.
In 1973, Rota received both a Grammy Award and the Golden Globe for his film score for Coppola’s cinematic work of the century The Godfather. The composer also received an Oscar for the best film music for his score for Part II of The Godfather in 1975.
Worklist
Chronology
Products
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for pianoComposer: Nino RotaSeries: Edition Schott
15 preludi
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: ED 9386Product TypeIn stockAs low as €18.99Incl. Tax -
Love ThemeComposer: Nino RotaArranger: Robert LongfieldMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and partsSeries: Pop Specials for Strings
Instrumentation: string orchestraLanguage: EnglishProduct number: HL 04491003Out of stock€49.99Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
per orchestra con coro (o organo)Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra with choir (or organ)Language: Latin
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Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: E-score PDFInstrumentation: clarinet in Bb and pianoProduct number: ED 22073 Q42678In stock€3.99Incl. Tax
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Suite per orchestra ridottaComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for the Concerto for French Horn an Orchetra in D major KV 412 by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: Horn and Orchestra
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for pianoProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €5.99Incl. Tax
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For Piano With Guitar ChordsComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Tune bookSeries: The Best Of (Carisch)
Instrumentation: piano or organProduct number: ML 2194Out of stock€20.99Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping -
Transcription for voice or children's choir and chamber orchestra from "Aladino e la lampada magica" (Aladdin and the Magic Lamp)Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: soprano or children's choir and chamber orchestraLanguage: German, Italian
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to the concerto for piano and orchestra in G Major Hob. XVIII:4Composer: Joseph Haydn | Nino RotaSeries: Cadenza, Vol. 3
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: ED 9901Product TypeIn stockAs low as €8.99Incl. Tax -
of the concerto for flute, harp and orchestra KV 299Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Nino RotaEdition: Set of solo partsSeries: Cadenza, Vol. 2
Instrumentation: flute and harpProduct number: ED 9671Product TypeIn stockAs low as €10.99Incl. Tax -
for chamber orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: chamber orchestra
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per violoncello e orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: cello and orchestra
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Concerto festivo per orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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"Piccolo mondo antico"Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: piano and orchestra
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for violoncello and orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: cello and orchestra
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for violoncello and orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: cello and orchestra
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Canzone profana per canto (S/T) e orchestra da cameraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: voice and instrumental ensembleLanguage: German
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for pianoComposer: Nino RotaEdition: Separate editionSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: ED 22707Product TypeIn stockAs low as €8.99Incl. Tax -
for pianoProduct TypeIn stockAs low as €10.99Incl. Tax
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Suite sinfonicaComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for string quartet, organ and string orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: string quartet, organ and string orchestra
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Suite for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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(Juliet of the Spirits)Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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"Pensiero per Hiroshima"Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Versione per orchestra ridotta di Bruno MorettiComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Suite for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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"La poupée automate" (Titoli)Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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symphonic suiteComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Ballabili (Dances)Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: small orchestra
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Rappresentazione sacra nucleo originario "La Vita di Maria"Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: children's choir, soloists and orchestra
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Rappresentazione sacra nucleo originario "La Vita di Maria"Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: children's choir, soloists and orchestraLanguage: Italian
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for soprano and string quintetComposer: Nino RotaEdition: Score and partsSeries: Edition Schott
Instrumentation: soprano and string quintetProduct number: ED 20874Product TypeIn stockAs low as €16.99Incl. Tax -
Suite for orchestra (short version)Composer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Suite for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Titoli di testaComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Overture for orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Rappresentazione sacra in XVI Parti e un InterludioComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialLanguage: Italian
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Musiche per il balletto in due atti
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Suite from the film by Luchino ViscontiComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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Suite from the original music of the film "Lo sceicco bianco" by Federico FelliniComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: orchestra
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per coro (SAT) e orchestraComposer: Nino RotaMedia Type: Hire/performance materialEdition: Performance materialInstrumentation: choir (SAT) and orchestraLanguage: Latin
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for men's choire with 4 voices (TTBB) and organComposer: Nino RotaEdition: ScoreSeries: Schott Choral Music
Messa breve
Instrumentation: men's choir (TTBB) and organProduct number: C 52579Product TypeIn stockAs low as €7.99Incl. Tax -
for organ and voices (SATB)Composer: Nino RotaArranger: Jonathan HirshMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Performing scoreInstrumentation: organ and mixed choir (SATB)Product number: ED 23707Out of stock€39.00Incl. Tax, Excl. Shipping
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dal balletto "Le Molière imaginaire"Product TypeIn stockAs low as €10.99Incl. Tax