THE LEGEND OF WILLIAM TELL
According to legend, William Tell was an expert with a bow and arrow who lived in the mountains of Switzerland. At the time, Switzerland was under the control of Austria and a nasty ruler named Gessler. Gessler thought that he was so important that the citizens should salute him even when he wasn’t there. So, he put his hat on a pole in the center of town and commanded the citizens to bow down to it whenever they passed it. William Tell arrived in town one day with his son and refused to salute the hat. Gessler was very upset, but instead of killing William Tell right there he challenged him to shoot an apple off his son’s head with one shot. If he succeeded, William Tell could remain free. William Tell did shoot the apple off his son’s head with a single arrow. But Gessler noticed that before he tried Tell had taken two arrows out of his quiver and asked why. William Tell answered, “If I had missed, that second arrow would have been headed your way.” Eventually, William Tell did kill Gessler, an act that started a Swiss uprising that ultimately forced the Austrian invaders from Switzerland.
Gioacchino Antonio Rossini was born in Italy the son of the town trumpeter. As a child, he could play the violin, viola, and piano. Before his voice changed, he sang in several operas as a boy soprano. He began composing at an early age, writing duets for he and his father to perform. His Opera "The Barber of Seville" was written in 13 days and was 600 pages of music!!! His famous opera that we will be studying in class is "William Tell." This was his last opera. He retired at 37 and spent the next 39 years writing non-important music. He was known world-wide and he was a composer of the Classical period.
THE LEGEND OF WILLIAM TELL According to legend, William Tell was an expert with a bow and arrow who lived in the mountains of Switzerland. At the time, Switzerland was under the control of Austria and a nasty ruler named Gessler. Gessler thought that he was so important that the citizens should salute him even when he wasn’t there. So, he put his hat on a pole in the center of town and commanded the citizens to bow down to it whenever they passed it. William Tell arrived in town one day with his son and refused to salute the hat. Gessler was very upset, but instead of killing William Tell right there he challenged him to shoot an apple off his son’s head with one shot. If he succeeded, William Tell could remain free. William Tell did shoot the apple off his son’s head with a single arrow. But Gessler noticed that before he tried Tell had taken two arrows out of his quiver and asked why. William Tell answered, “If I had missed, that second arrow would have been headed your way.” Eventually, William Tell did kill Gessler, an act that started a Swiss uprising that ultimately forced the Austrian invaders from Switzerland.
Rossini's original grave
Rossini's Final Resting Place in Florence, Italy
