Gilda Ruta 1853-1932

[giles.enders]

Gilda Teresa Emelina Ruta  Born 13.10.1853 Naples  Died 26.10.1932 New York

One of at least six children ¹.She had an English mother Emilia Suitton, a singer and her father was the composer Michele Ruta.  He was her first teacher.  She later studied with Saverino Mercadante for composition and Franz Lizst for composition and piano.  She was both a pianist and composer.  She composed over 130 works.  She made her piano debut at the San Carlo theatre, Naples playing a Beethoven piano concerto. In November 1894, Gilda settled permanently in New York. She married Raffaeli Cagnazzi an engineer and they had two children²  He died in 1881


Orchestral

Piano Concerto
Andante and rondo for strings
Bolero for piano and orchestra
Gavotta for orchestra

Chamber

Violin Sonata  1888   pub. by Guidici & Strada, Turin
Romanza senza parole for violin and piano   pub. by Guidici & Strada
Elegy and Gavotta for violin (or cello) and piano  1883   pub. by Guidici & Strada

Piano

Allegro appassionato 1884   pub. by Ricordi
Aria di danza  1884   pub. by Ricordi
Andante and rondo  pub . by Guidici & Strada
Bolero   pub. by Guidici & Strada
Bourree   1884   pub. by Ricordi
Capriccio Brillante   pub. by Guidici & Strada
Cuore su cuore - waltz
Danza del 17thC.   pub. by Ricordi
Elegia   pub. by Ricordi
Elegie (Jurgensen)
Mesta Serenat   pub. by Ricordi
Notturno   pub. by Guidici & Strada
Notturno polacco
Partita - Preludio e fuga; Andantino; Gavotta e musette; I et Sarabanda; Allegretto Cromatico; Burlesca  1885   pub. by Ricordi
Three pieces for piano - Fantasco impromptu, secondo scherzo, serenade.
Polacca   pub. by Ricordi
Pollaca di Concerto   pub. by Guidici & Strada
Primavera, Bozzetto caratteristico
Soave melancolia, barcarolle
Scherzo   pub. by Ricordi
Sicilliana   pub. by Ricordi
Suite a Canoni: Arietta, Bouree, Giga, Minuetto, Prelude, Sarabanda.   pub. by Ricordi
Tempo di gavotta e musette  pub. by Ricordi
Tempo di minuetto  pub. by Ricordi
Zingaresca  1890   pub. by Ricordi

Songs

Addio !
Alle Stelle !
Sddio dev'era la luna
Amore ho in petto
Amore v'e morto e non ritorna piu
Al desiato lido
Dolce memorie
Etero pensier
Eterna i dea
Partirail  for mezzo, baritone & piano
Canzone Marinaresca  for soprano & piano
Canto melanconico  for contralto, bass & piano
Dammi un' ora d'amour
Fiori di Campo; Fiorellini che tacti
Fior di mia vita, baci del mio core
Mofo d'amore !
Nella ! notturno
Nevrosi
Non dimander
Oh amore, amore !
Partirai !! Domani partirai
Pei tuoi biondi capelli
Perche; dimmi perche ?
Povero amore
Ofiorellin di Siepe
Or che l'eta ne envita.  - duet
Quando Cadran le fogli, per te
Quando le patria e libera
Rugiada e sole; Vedete nel guiardino
Se t'amo ! Stornello
Se V'amo ! Non mi chiedete
Son Sola ! O dolce sera
Untima ebrezza ! Un ultimo profumo
Un giorno senza amor giorno perduto
Vado Solingo e lagrimo
Verdi il mare
Un Verde praterello
Voglio quarire; Misi spezza la testa
Voglio Morir con te ! Lascaili dir

there are over 50 songs

Opera

The Fire Worshipers

1.
Gilda Teresa Emelina Ruta  1853 - 1932
Giovanni  Ruta 1858
Luisa Ida Ruta 1859 - 1861
Anna Maria Ida Ruta 1862  - a singer
Vincenzo Errico Leone  Ruta 1863
Errico Edouardo Antonio Ruta  1865

2.
Tomasso  1878   - a violinist
Anna  1881  - a pianist

[Gareth Vaughan]

I see that the BL has a number of her published songs and piano pieces, while (as one would imagine) most of what was published by Ricordi can be found in various Italian libraries, particularly the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome. These include the Violin Sonata and pieces for cello and piano, as well as solo piano music and songs. There is no sign of her orchestral works, or opera, which probably remained unpublished. I imagine her MSS, if any survive, will be somewhere in America - most likely New York. However, NYPL lists nothing under her name and neither, surprisingly, does the LC - not even the published works. If anyone knows the whereabouts of her MSS I would be most interested.

[eschiss1]

Obituary apparently appeared in 1932 though. Could have been a Mark Twain-ish false alarm, I admit. (At least if the full version of this Time article contains what the Wikipedia editor claims it does, which is the claim that Gilda Ruta died in Manhattan at age 79. An internet search seems to quote the article as saying

"Gilda Ruta Cagnazzi, 79, one of history's few able female composers; in total obscurity, of a cerebral hemorrhage; in Manhattan. A mother of two & widowed at 27, she..."

(silly editorializing, but anyway, November 7 1932 obit, so seems to have died by November 1932, not 1937- I think. Maybe.)
As to mss... don't know...

[Alan Howe]

1932 seems more likely, so I've changed the date in the subject line. I stand to be corrected, though...

[giles.enders]

Has anyone a suggestion about where her orchestral works might be found ?