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Gaetano Braga

Gaetano Braga (June 9, 1829 – November 21, 1907) was an Italian composer and cellist.

He was born in Giulianova in Abruzzi and died in Milan.

Braga's works include compositions for the cello (two concertos, a quintet, a quartet, works for cello and piano) and the operas:

  • Alina or La spregiata (1853, Naples)
  • Estella di San Germano (1857, Vienna)
  • Il ritratto (1858, Naples)
  • Margherita la mendicante (1859, Paris)
  • Mormile (1862, Milan)
  • Ruy Blas (1868)
  • Reginella (1871, Lecco)
  • Caligola (1873, Lisbon)

A "Serenata" (serenade) by Braga, sometimes called "Angel's Serenade" or "Légende valaque" (Wallachian Legend), is a dialogue (comparable to that in "Erlkönig") between a worried mother and a girl who hears an angel's voice calling her; in the end the girl follows the voice ("O mamma buona notte, io seguo il suon, io seguo il suon!"). It is mentioned in Anton Chekhov's short story "The Black Monk," as well as in other Russian works of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As composed, the narrator sings the voice of the mother and girl, while the angel's voice is portrayed through the violin or cello. In the original print, the string player was instructed to play from an adjoining room from the pianist and singer, in order to create the effect of a distant angelic voice. Braga's "Angel's Serenade" has been recorded notably by tenor John McCormack and violinist Fritz Kreisler (in English), Jan Peerce and Mischa Elman (in English), Christian Ketter and Cara Schlecker (in Italian), Richard Tauber and Dajos Bela (in German).

Birth and Death Data: Born June 9, 1829 (Giulianova), Died November 21, 1907 (Milan)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1900 - 1933

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-78 of 78 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 8005 10-in. 5/20/1921 The angel's serenade Robert Gayler ; Frieda Hempel ; Albert Spalding Soprano vocal solo, with piano and organ composer  
Edison 18431 10-in. 4/23/1928 Angel's serenade Rollo F. Maitland Pipe organ solo composer  
Gramophone 1011ah 10-in. 12/20/1910 Leggenda valacca Giuseppina Lufrano Soprano vocal solo, with piano and violin composer  
(Results 76-78 of 78 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Braga, Gaetano," accessed May 4, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106041.

Braga, Gaetano. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 4, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106041.

"Braga, Gaetano." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106041

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