Margola, Franco

Margola, Franco, Italian composer and teacher; b. Orzinuovi, near Brescia, Oct. 30, 1908; d. Brescia, March 10, 1992. He studied violin with Romanini and composition with Guerrini, Jachino, Longo, and Casella at the Parma Cons. (diplomas in piano, 1926, and in composition, 1934), then took a course in advanced theory with Casella at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. After serving as director of the Messina Cons. (1938–40), he taught at the conservatories in Cagliari, Bologna, Milan, Rome, and Parma. He publ. a manual, Guida pratica per lo studio della composizione (Milan, 1954).

Works

dramatic: Opera: Il mito di Caino (Bergamo, 1940). orch.: Piano Concerto (1943; Florence, Feb. 12, 1944); Cello Concerto (1949); 2 syms. (1950, 1961); Children’s Concerto for Piano and Small Orch. (1954); Children’s Concerto for Violin and Small Orch. (1955); Concerto for Strings (1958); Concerto for Violin, Piano, and Strings (1960); Horn Concerto (1960); Double Concerto for Violin, Piano, and Strings (1960); Concerto for Oboe and Strings (1962); Passacaglia for Strings, Piano, and Percussion (1970). chamber: 3 cello sonatas (1931–45); 4 violin sonatas (1932–44); 2 piano quintets (1933, 1946); 8 string quartets (1936–50); 4 Episodi for Flute and Guitar (1970); piano pieces.

Bibliography

R. Cresti, Linguaggio musicale di F. M. (Milan, 1994); idem, ed., F. M. nella critica italiana (Milan, 1996).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire