Rediscovering two symphonies by

Bruno Morpurgo

The Musica Libera Association rediscovers the work of the Jewish composer who died in the WWI

Project financed by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia

The project of the Musica Libera Association on the symphonies of Bruno Morpurgo (Vienna, 1875 – Gorizia, 1917) – in collaboration with the Carlo and Vera Wagner Museum, the Municipality of Gradisca d’Isonzo and the Orchestra regionale of Friuli Venezia Giulia – aimed to rediscover this composer originally from Trieste and died near Gorizia during the First World War.

Information about his life was little known and the symphonies, handwritten and preserved by a nephew in Vienna, had never been performed and published.

The recovery of this music is of particular importance for its high historical-artistic value and makes finally known an unjustly forgotten musician.

Bruno Morpurgo was a very prolific composer: he wrote chamber music, two symphonies, lieder and instrumental music.

He studied with the famous Austrian musician Robert Fuchs – who had also Gustav Mahler, Jean Sibelius, Richard Strauss, Alexander Zemlinsky and Erich Korngold as students – and with the teacher Anton Bruckner at the University of Vienna. After his studies, he taught counterpoint, harmony and composition in Vienna.

The aim of the project was also to make Morpurgo’s music accessible to as many people as possible through the digitization and audio recording of his music, and by publishing a CD to be distributed for free to conservatories and music schools in the Region.

In the end, the project culminated with the publication of a CD, which presents –  first world recording – the Symphony n. 1 in C Minor and the Quartet in A minor.

You can also listen to them here:

Symphony n. 1 in C Minor performed by the FVG Orchestra conducted by Maestro Davide Casali

Quartet in A minor performed by the Mark Rothko Ensemble

The scores can be requested by contacting our Museum.