DonatO, Anthony

views updated

DonatO, Anthony

DonatO, Anthony, American violinist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Prague, Nebr., March 8, 1909. He studied violin with Gustave Tinlot, conducting with Goossens, and composition with Hanson, Royce, and Rogers at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (B.M., 1931; M.M., 1937; Ph.D., 1947). After playing violin in the Rochester Phil. (1927–31) and the Hochstein Quartet (1929–31), he served as head of the violin depts. at Drake Univ. (1931–37), Iowa State Teachers Coll. (1937–39), and the Univ. of Tex. (1939–46); he then was prof. of theory and composition at Northwestern Univ. (1947–76), where he also conducted its chamber orch. (1947–58). He publ. a valuable textbook on notational techniques, Preparing Music Manuscripts (Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1963). As a composer, Donato was particularly successful writing choral works and piano pieces.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : The Walker through Walls (1964; Evanston, 111., Feb. 26,1965). ORCH.: 2 sinfoniettas (1936, 1959); Elegy for Strings (1938); 2 syms. (1944, 1945); Mission San Jose de Aguaya (1945); Prairie Schooner, overture (1947); Suite for Strings (1948); The Plains (1953); Episode (1954); Solitude in the City for Narrator and Orch. (1954); Serenade for Small Orch. (1962); Centennial Ode (Omaha, Dec. 11, 1967; for Nebraska’s centennial); Improvisation (1968); Discourse for Flute and Strings (1969; also for Flute and Piano). CHAMBER : 2 violin sonatas (1938, 1949); 4 string quartets (1941, 1947, 1951, 1975); Drag and Run for Clarinet, 2 Violins, and Cello (1946); Pastorale and Dance for 4 Clarinets (1947); Sonatine for 3 Trumpets (1949); Horn Sonata (1950); Wind Quintet (1955); Prelude and Allegro for Trumpet and Piano (1957); Piano Trio (1959); Clarinet Sonata (1966); Discourse I for Flute and Piano (1969; also for Flute and Strings) and 17 for Saxophone and Piano (1974); many piano pieces. VOCAL: March of the Hungry Mountains for Tenor, Chorus, and Small Orch. (1949); Last Supper for Baritone and Chorus (1952); The Congo for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1957); Prelude and Choral Fantasy for Men’s Voices, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Percussion, and Organ (1961); Blessed is the Man for Chorus, Brass Quartet, and Organ (1970); many songs.