Alessandro Rolla

Finding his musical place relatively early and in a consistent manner, Rolla was perhaps afforded a security that few obtained. More than likely he was trained in Milan and sustained positions closely related to Milan throughout his career. From 1782 until 1802 he served the court in Parma and from 1803 he was the director of the orchestra at La Scala in Milan. Later he was hired as a professor of violin and viola at the Milan Conservatory. During the time of operatic composition and living in the place where opera was at its height, Rolla composed instrumental music and taught from a more conservative perspective than that of Paganini. Rolla's students included his son Giuseppe who came to lead the Italian Opera in Dresden and Bernardo Ferrara. Compositions poured from the pen of Rolla but a considerable number of them have unfortunately been lost. Concertos by Rolla were exceptionally expressive with smoothly flowing melodies and passages for virtuosos. Both his trios and duets have a place in the canons of musical literature as well. The trios are noted for their fullness and sensitivity and the duets are important for the student and amateur musician alike.