Paolo Longinotti (1913-1963)

Biography

Paolo Longinotti was born in Bellizona, in the Swiss canton of Tessin, on 6th November 1913. He was introduced to music by his father Ercole, studying piano, violin and trumpet in Bellinzona and Lugano and later at the Geneva Conservatoire where he won a 1st prize with distinction in trumpet while stuying with Professor Dupont. He studied theory with Professors Jules Philippe Godard and Alexandre Dénéréaz in Lausanne and Professor Müller in Zurich.

He was solo trumpet at the Orchestra of Radio Lausanne ( 1935-1938) , co-solo at the Suisse Romande Orchestra and a member of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra before being summoned once again by Ernest Ansermet to be solo trumpet at the Suisse Romande where he had a brilliant career, recording almost all the works which made Ansermet famous all over the world. He was also one of the few trumpeters of his day capable of playing the 2nd Brandebourg Concerto of J.S. Bach. He was a professor at the Geneva Conservatoire and conducted the official band of the State of Geneva: the "Elite".

He wrote many instrumental pieces, chamber music and music for brass band and wind band. The Scherzo Iberico was written in 1942 as a prescribed work for the Swiss International Competition for Musical Performance held in Geneva in 1943. Paolo Longinotti died in Geneva on 31st January 1963.