Luigi Dallapiccola
Luigi Dallapiccola was born on February 3rd, 1904, in Mitterburg (today: Pazin in Istria) and died on February 19, 1975 in Florence. He was one of the most important Italian composers of the 20th century.
Today, his operas are regarded as modern classics. He is also credited with introducing the twelve-tone technique to Italy. His version of this method, however, does not follow the “traditional“ rules devised by Arnold Schönberg, but rather works on the basis of motifs. His style as composer is also characterized by an imposing command of the counterpoint, following the example of Johann Sebastian Bach and Italian composers of that time. Dallapiccola established his international fame at the first performance of PARTITA (1933), a work for orchestra and solo soprano. In his oeuvre, which comprises some fifty pieces, the greatest emphasis lies on vocal music.
In his work, he also took firm political and social positions; as in the exemplary anti-fascist "Canti di prigionia” (1938-1941 – “Songs of Imprisonment”) and the “Canti di liberazione” (1951-1955, “Songs of Liberation”).
The summit of Dallapiccola’s work, however, lies in the field of opera, which he approached in a typically Italian fashion. By no means abandoning the practice of “Belcanto”, he rather worked at integrating this style with the methods of twelve tone music and counterpoint in a way which seems more lyrical than that of Alban Berg and Arnold Schönberg.
Today, his operas are regarded as modern classics. He is also credited with introducing the twelve-tone technique to Italy. His version of this method, however, does not follow the “traditional“ rules devised by Arnold Schönberg, but rather works on the basis of motifs. His style as composer is also characterized by an imposing command of the counterpoint, following the example of Johann Sebastian Bach and Italian composers of that time. Dallapiccola established his international fame at the first performance of PARTITA (1933), a work for orchestra and solo soprano. In his oeuvre, which comprises some fifty pieces, the greatest emphasis lies on vocal music.
In his work, he also took firm political and social positions; as in the exemplary anti-fascist "Canti di prigionia” (1938-1941 – “Songs of Imprisonment”) and the “Canti di liberazione” (1951-1955, “Songs of Liberation”).
The summit of Dallapiccola’s work, however, lies in the field of opera, which he approached in a typically Italian fashion. By no means abandoning the practice of “Belcanto”, he rather worked at integrating this style with the methods of twelve tone music and counterpoint in a way which seems more lyrical than that of Alban Berg and Arnold Schönberg.