Donatoni, Franco

Donatoni, Franco, noted Italian composer and pedagogue; b. Verona, June 9, 1927. He commenced his musical training with Piero Bottagisio at the Verona Liceo Musicale. After further studies in composition with Desderi at the Milan Cons. (1946–48), he was a student of Liviabella at the Bologna Cons., where he took diplomas in composition and band orchestration (1949), choral music (1950), and composition (1951). He pursued advanced composition studies with Pizzetti at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome (graduated, 1953), and then attended the summer courses in new music in Darmstadt (1954, 1956, 1958, 1961). He taught at the Bologna Cons. (1953–55), the Turin Cons. (1956–69), and the Milan Cons. (1969–78) before holding the chair in advanced composition at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. He also taught advanced composition at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena (from 1970), and was concurrently on the faculty of the Univ. of Bologna (1971–85). In addition, he taught at the Civica Scuola in Milan, the Perosi Academy in Biella, and the Forlanini Academy in Brescia; also gave master classes. He publ. the vols. Questo (1970), Antecedente X (1980), II sigaro di Armando (1982), and In-oltre (1988). In addition to his memberships in the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Accademia Filarmonica of Rome, the French government honored him as a Commandeur of TOrder des Arts et des Lettres in 1985. As a composer, Donatoni was deeply influenced by Schoenberg, Boulez, and Stockhausen, particularly in his mature aleatoric style. His gifts as a master of his craft are most fully revealed in his orch. works and chamber music, which are notable for their imaginative manipulation of sonorities and colors.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Atem (1983–84; Milan, Feb. 16, 1985). B a 1 1 e t : La lampara (1957). ORCH.: Concertino for Brass, Timpani, and Strings (1952); Concerto for Bassoon and Strings (1952); Overture for Chamber Orch. (1953); Sinfonia for Strings (1953); Divertimento I for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1954) and II for Strings (Venice, Sept. 10, 1965); Musica for Chamber Orch. (1955); Strophes (1959; RAI, Jan. 30, 1960); Sezioni (1960; North German Radio, Hamburg, May 14, 1962); Puppenspiel I (1961; Palermo, Oct. 8,1962) and II for Flute and Orch. (Valdagno, Sept. 17, 1966); Per orchestra (1962; Warsaw, Sept. 24, 1963); Black and White for Strings (1964; Palermo, Sept. 6, 1965); Doubles II (1970; Venice, Jan. 15, 1971); To Earle I for Chamber Orch. (1970; Bolzano, Feb. 2,1971) and II (1971–72; Kiel, Sept. 2,1972); Voci (1972–73; Rome, Feb. 3,1974); Espressivo for Oboe and Orch. (1974; Royan, March 24, 1975); Duo per Bruno (1974–75; West German Radio, Cologne, Sept. 19, 1975); Portrait for Harpsichord and Orch. (1976–77; Radio France, Paris, Oct. 6, 1977); Le ruisseau sur I’escalier for Cello and Chamber Orch. (1980; Paris, April 30, 1981); Sinfonia Op.63 “Anton Webern” (Naples, May 13, 1983); Diario ’83 for 4 Trum-pets, 4 Trombones, and Orch. (1983–84; Milan, Feb. 16, 1985); Eco for Chamber Orch. (1985–86); Concerto grosso for Orch. and Electronics (Bologna, June 5, 1992). CHAMBER : Quartetto I (1950), II (1958; Florence, March 23, 1962), and IV (Palermo, Oct. 5, 1963) for String Quartet; Viola Sonata (1952); Harp Sonata (1953); Movimento for Harpsichord, Piano, and 9 Instruments (Milan, Nov. 30, 1959); For Grilly for 7 Instrumentalists (Rome, May 24, 1960); Asar for 10 Strings (1964); Etwas ruhiger im Ausdruck for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1967; Rome, Feb. 1, 1968); Souvenir I: Chamber Sym. for 15 Instruments (Venice, Sept. 12, 1967) and II: Orts for 14 Instruments and Speaker ad libitum (Paris, March 21, 1969); Solo for 10 Strings (1969); Estratto I for Piano (1969; Trieste, Feb. 19, 1970), II for Piano, Harpsichord, and Harp (Brescia, June 9, 1970), IV for 8 Instruments (Rome, Feb. 3, 1974), and III for Piano and Wind Octet (1975; Milan, Feb. 12,1976); Lied for 13 Instruments (1972; Siena, Sept. 3, 1973); Jeux pour deux for Harpsichord and Organ (1973; Royan, March 28, 1975); Duetto for Harpsichord (Brescia, June 5, 1975); Lumen for 6 Instruments (Siena, Aug. 27, 1975); Ash for 8 Instruments (Siena, Aug. 27,1976); Musette per Lothar for Musette (Siena, Aug. 27,1976); Toy for 2 Violins, Viola, and Harpsichord (Turin, June 23, 1977); Algo for Guitar (Milan, Nov. 2, 1977); Ali for Viola (Paris, June 26, 1978); Spiri for 10 Instruments (Rome, June 18, 1978); About… for Violin, Viola, and Guitar (Siena, Aug. 25,1979); Argot for Violin (Siena, Aug. 25, 1979); Nidi I for Piccolo (Venice, Sept. 26, 1979) and II for Baroque Tenor Flute (1992); Marches I for Harp (Berkeley, Nov. 25, 1979) and II for Harp, 3 Women’s Voices ad libitum, and Chamber Ensemble (Alessandria, Sept. 18, 1990); Clair for Clarinet (Siena, Aug. 26, 1980); Tema for Chamber Ensemble (1981; Paris, Feb. 8,1982); Small for Piccolo, Clarinet, and Harp (Siena, Aug. 25,1981); The Heart’s Eye for String Quartet (Venice, Oct. 7,1981); Fili for Flute and Piano (Venice, Oct. 7,1981); Lame for Cello (Siena, Aug. 26,1982); Feria I for 5 Flutes, 5 Trumpets, and Organ (Bologna, Sept. 24, 1982) and II for Organ (Milan, June 17, 1992); (28) François Variationen for Piano (1983–89); Rima for Piano (Cortona, July 9, 1983); Alamari for Cello, Double Bass, and Piano (Siena, Aug. 29,1983); Ala for Cello and Double Bass (1983; Siena, Aug. 23,1985); Ronda for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (La Rochelle, June 24, 1984); Lem for Double Bass (Sesto San Giovanni, March 31, 1984); Ombra for Bass Clarinet (Certaldo, July 26, 1984); Darkness for 6 Percussionists (Strasbourg, Sept, 18, 1984); Cadeau for 11 Instruments (Turin, July 7, 1985); Septet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas, and 2 Cellos (Cremona, Sept. 22, 1985); Omar for Vibraphone (Siena, Aug. 23, 1985); Refrain I for 8 Instruments (Amsterdam, July 7, 1986) and II for Chamber Ensemble (Melbourne, Sept. 29, 1991); Arpege for 6 Instruments (1986; Paris, March 30, 1987); Flag for 13 Instruments (Milan, May 9, 1987); Ave for Piccolo, Glockenspiel, and Celesta (Strasbourg, Oct. 3, 1987); Short for Trumpet (Cosenza, May 9, 1988); La souris sans sourire for String Quartet (1988; Paris, Dec. 18, 1989); Cloche I for 2 Pianos, 8 Winds, and 2 Percussion (1988–89; Strasbourg, Sept. 19, 1989), II for 2 Pianos (Rome, Oct. 1, 1990), and III for Chamber Ensemble (Ravenna, July 21, 1991); Frain for 8 Instruments (1989); Soft for Bass Clarinet (Fermo, July 31, 1989); Midi for Flute (Turin, Sept. 27, 1989); Hot for Soprano or Tenor Saxophone and Chamber Ensemble (Metz, Nov. 17, 1989); Blow for Wind Quintet (1989; Milan, Feb. 11, 1990); Caglio for Violin (Milan, Nov. 28, 1989); Chantal for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet (Geneva, July 12, 1990); Het for Flute, Bass Clarinet, and Piano (Siena, Aug. 22, 1990); Rasch for Saxophone Quartet (Graz, Oct. 6, 1990); Spice for Violin, Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1990; London, Feb. 19, 1991); Holly for Chamber Ensemble (1990; Toronto, March 22, 1991); Bok for Bass Clarinet and Marimba (1990; Rome, April 8, 1991); Sweet for Flute (1992); Sincronie for Piano and Cello (Huddersfield, Nov. 28, 1992). VOCAL: II libro dei sette sigilli for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1951); Serenata for Woman’s Voice and 16 Instruments (Milan, April 11, 1959); Madrigale for Chorus and Percussion Quartet (1968); Arie for Voice and Orch. (1978; RAI, Rome, March 15, 1980); …ed insieme bussarono for Woman’s Voice and Piano (Strasbourg, Nov. 7, 1978); De Pres for Woman’s Voice, 2 Piccolos, and 3 Violins (Radio France, Paris, Feb. 9, 1980); L’ultima sera for Woman’s Voice and 5 Instruments (1980; Radio France, Paris, June 18, 1981); Abyss for Woman’s Voice, Flute, and Instruments (Metz, Nov. 18, 1983); In cauda for Chorus and Orch. (1983; Cologne, Dec. 6,1991); She for 3 Sopranos and 6 Instruments (Rome, Sept. 24, 1983); Still for High Soprano and 6 Instruments (Milan, April 21, 1985); O si ride for 12 Vocalists (1987; Paris, May 19, 1988); Cinis for Woman’s Voice and Piano (Strasbourg, Sept. 21, 1988); Ase: Algo II for Woman’s Voice and Guitar (1990); Aahiel for Soprano or Mezzo- soprano, Clarinet, Vibraphone or Marimba, and Piano (1992). TAPE: Quartetto III (1961; Venice, April 15, 1962).

Bibliography

G. Mazzola Nangeroni, F. D. (Milan, 1989).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire