Prelude, Op. 70, No. 1 (Six Pieces)

Marco Enrico Bossi (1861-1925) was born in Salò, a town in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, into a family of musicians. His father, Pietro, was organist at Salò Cathedral.

He received his musical training at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna and the Milan Conservatory, where his teachers included Francesco Sangalli (piano), Amilcare Ponchielli (composition) and Polibio Fumagalli (organ).

In 1881, Bossi became director of music and organist at Como Cathedral. Nine years later, he was appointed as professor of organ and harmony at Naples Conservatory. In addition, he held directorships at conservatories in Venice (1895-1901), Bologna (1902-1911) and Rome (1916-1923), where he established and implemented the standards of organ studies that are still used in Italy today. Throughout his career, Bossi made numerous international organ recital tours, which brought him in contact with well-known colleagues such as César Franck, Marcel Dupré, Alexandre Guilmant, Joseph Bonnet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Charles M. Courboin, and Karl Straube.

In November 1924, Bossi embarked on a recital tour to New York and Philadelphia, where he made important appearances at Wanamaker's department stores in New York and in Philadelphia, where he played the Wanamaker Organ, the world's largest pipe organ. Bossi died unexpectedly at sea while returning from the United States on February 20, 1925, and was interred at Como.

The "Six Pieces" were published by Boston Music Co. in 1917. They were edited by H. Clough-Leiter, and this makes an immediate "problem" as he always "revises" for American organs!

"Prelude" is the first in the set, and is admirable for it's continuous flow combined with subtle harmonic colors. Beginning softly, there is a steady increase in the dynamic level culminating in an impressive climax.

This gradually subsides and the work ends in hushed reverence which satisfies.

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Marco Enrico Bossi and several of Como Cathedral.