1880 – 1943
Raffaele Casimiri’s place in the music history books has thus far been secured mainly due to his accomplishments in the field of musicology. As a composer he is only gradually being rediscovered. Born in Rome in 1880, Casimiri embodied the Cecilian movement (return to Gregorian chant and classical vocal polyphony in the so-called “Palestrina style”) in Italy like no other. He edited previously unknown scores, founded singing schools, published journals on sacred music and was also professor at the newly founded Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.
