Giovanni Quirici

Who was Giovanni Quirici?

Giovanni Quirici was born 1824 in Arena Po, small town between Pavia and Piacenza. He died 1896 in Turin. Unknown in biographic dictionnaries, only some of his life details are known through Prospero Succio, keeper of the musical archives of the cathedral of Turin, who probably knew the composer personally. Succio writes that G. Quirici's parents wanted him to become a notary public, but he elected to study music aged 14. He studied music theory in Milan with Bonisanti, Manusardi and Padre Moro. He arrives in Turin about 1878, where he is composition teacher and probably organist in an unknown place.

Quirici was prolific: not only light pieces, romances and dances for piano, but a big amount of vocal and organ religious music He is published by Perosino, Borriero, Blanchi, Bibliografia Salesiana in Turin. In Milan, besides Ricordi, Mariani, Carisch, his main publisher is Martinenghi. His catalog contains no less than 15 Masses for organ solo, in addition to series of verses and vocal pieces. Two of theses Masses, in G and in C have been reedited by Carrara and Armelin publishers, and are often performed and recorded.