Raimondi, Pietro (1786-1853)

Italian composer. He studied at the Conservatorio di Pietà de' Turchini at Naples and wandered all over Italy in great poverty until he succeeded in producing an opera at Genoa in 1807. He produced operas at Rome, Milan, Naples, and in Sicily until 1824, and was director of the royal theatres there until 1832, when he became professor of composition at the Palermo Conservatory. In 1852 he was appointed maestro di cappella at St Peter's in Rome in succession to Francesco Basili.

Works Opera the operas Le bizzarrie d'amore (1807), Il ventaglio, and 60 others, including a serious and a comic opera which could be performed together; 21 ballets.

Choral eight oratorios, including the trilogy Giuseppe (including Putifar, Farao, and Giacobbe, performable separately or simultaneously); Masses, Requiems, psalms, and other church music, much of it in very numerous parts; vocal fugues, one in 64 parts and including others in four parts, four of which could be sung together in 16 parts.