Ettore Desderi (1892 - 1974)

Those who know Ettore Desderi mainly for the austere sacred works in the late-Romantic vein for which he became famous might be surprised to learn that he also managed to channel his liking for jazz. His Preludio, Corale e Fuga in modo sincopato shows how Baroque and Classical forms sound when subjected to syncopation. The work begins originally, with a perpetuum mobile-like prelude. This is followed by a chorale with hints of the blues, before an elaborate closing fugue comes close to anticipating elements of free jazz which, historically speaking, didn’t develop until much later.