Yon, Pietro Alessandro
Yon, Pietro Alessandro
Yon, Pietro Alessandro, Italian-born American organist, composer, and teacher; b. Settimo Vittone, Aug. 8, 1886; d. Huntington, N.Y., Nov. 22, 1943. He studied with Fumagalli at the Milan Cons., then at the Turin Cons. (1901-04), and at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome with Remigio Renzi (organ) and Sgambati (piano), graduating in 1905. He subsequently served as organist at St. Peter’s in Rome (1905-07). In 1907 he emigrated to the U.S.; from 1907 to 1919, and again from 1921 to 1926, was organist at St. Francis-Xavier’s in N.Y.; then was appointed organist of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in N.Y., a post he held until his death. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1921. He was greatly esteemed as an organist and teacher; composed numerous organ pieces, of which Gesù Bambino (1917) became popular and was publ. in various instrumental and vocal arrangements; he also wrote an oratorio, The Triumph of St. Patrick (N.Y., April 29,1934); several masses and other religious services. A novel based on his life, The Heavens Heard Him, written by V.B. Hammann and M.C. Yon, was publ. in N.Y. in 1963.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire