Unforgotten horn player and composer
Francesco Raselli himself has his say in this new publication, but above all friends, fellow musicians and experts shed light on the life and work of the early deceased.
Exactly 40 years ago, the Obwalden horn player, organist, composer, teacher and mediator Francesco Raselli, who had his roots in the Poschiavo village of Le Prese, died at the age of 35. His reputation still resonates today. So, on the initiative of the three editors and co-authors Josef Gnos, Niccolò Raselli and Peter Bucher, companions, friends, experts and those born after him have delved into Raselli's life and work and rummaged through their memories. The result is a book that illuminates all facets of this exceptional artist and his orchestral engagements (General Music Society Lucerne, Festival Orchestra of the Lucerne International Music Festival, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Basel Radio Symphony Orchestra).
Raselli was not above leaving his mark in brass and folk music, for example as a section leader and soloist in the Feldmusik Sarnen, one of the most powerful brass orchestras in Central Switzerland. As a teacher, he taught at the Sarnen Music School and soon also as a main subject teacher at the Lucerne Conservatory, but always remained connected to the canton of Obwalden. His pupil Walter Dillier quotes him with the bon mot: "Only the first horn player is allowed to play, not the second." In addition to Raselli himself, the book also features the musical personalities Mario Venzago, Thüring Bräm, Lukas Christinat, Jakob Hefti and Wolfgang Sieber, among many others.
Raselli composed around forty works in fifteen years, including around a third for the legendary Nyynermuisig instrumentation he invented. In his extensive and meticulous analysis, Roman Brotbeck deals in detail with the twelve-tone conception of the Septet from 1974, the brass quintet from 1982, the undated Solo for A clarinet and finally with Raselli's legacy, the Diary for 16 clarinets and double bass from the year of his death in 1983. The book is supplemented by specialist texts, facsimiles of sheet music, caricatures and recipes by Raselli, numerous photos from his life and work as well as watercolors and drawings by Josef Gnos and his daughter Anna Raselli.
Francesco Raselli 1948-1983, ed. by Josef Gnos, Niccolò Raselli and Peter Bucher, 208 p., Fr. 40.00, self-published by the editors, 2023, ISBN 978-3-033-10003-9, source of supply: Vreny Guardiano, Lindenstrasse 14, 6060 Sarnen, vreny.guardiano@bluewin.ch
