Consoli, Marc-Antonio

Consoli, Marc-Antonio , Italian-born American composer and teacher; b. Catania, May 19, 1941. He studied with Rieti at the N.Y. Coll. of Music (B.M., 1966), with Krenek at the Peabody Cons, of Music in Baltimore (M.M., 1967), and with Goehr at the Yale Univ. School of Music (M.M., 1971; D.M.A., 1977), and also took courses with Schuller and Crumb at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood, with Donatoni at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, and at the Warsaw Cons. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1967. He was founder-director of the Musica Oggi Ensemble (1978–80) and served as a church music director and organist (from 1988). He was also ed. of the Hargail Music Press (1978–84) and ed. and publisher of Rinaldo Music Press (from 1983). From 1990 he was adjunct asst. prof, at N.Y.U. His honors include Guggenheim fellow-ships (1971,1979), NEA grants (1979,1981,1985), and an award from the American Academy and Inst. of Arts and Letters (1975). In several of his works, Consoli has found inspiration in Italian folk elements which he has utilized in writing scores marked by a fine abstract lyricism.

Works

DRAMATICBallet: Naked Masks: Three Frescoes from a Dream (NY., Dec. 13, 1980); The Last Unicorn (1981; NY., Feb. 24, 1989). ORCH.: Profiles (1973); Music for Chambers (1974; Hilversum, Sept. 13, 1975); Odefonia (1976; N.Y, May 23, 1978); Afterimages (1982; N.Y, lune 2, 1983); Cello Concerto (N.Y, May 9, 1988); Arie Mutate (1990); Musiculi III (1992–94). CHAMBER : Brazilian Fantasy for Clarinet and Piano (1965); Sonatina for Tenor Saxophone and Piano (1965); Interactions I for 6 Instruments (Tanglewood, Aug. 12, 1970), II for Flute and Harp (New Haven, Conn., April 30, 1971), III for Violin, Cello, and Piano (College Park, Md., March 22, 1971), IV: The Aftermath for 5 Instruments (New Haven, Conn., Dec. 12, 1971), and V: The Consequence for Flute and String Quartet (1972); Sciuri Novi I for Flute (Siena, Aug. 28, 1974), 71 for Contrabass and Tape (1975; Royan, March 23, 1976), and /// for Clarinet and Tape or 2 Clarinets (N.Y, March 13, 1997); Music for Chambers for 3 Groups of Instruments (1974; Helsinki, May 10, 1978); Ellipsonics for 1 to 4 Players and Optional Slides,

Lights, Mimes, and/or Dancers (1974; Pamparato, Italy, July 10, 1975); Tre Fiori Musicali for Flute and Guitar (1978; N.Y., April 30, 1980); Orpheus’s Meditation for Guitar (1981; N.Y., May 4, 1982); Saxlodie for Alto Saxophone and Piano (Warsaw, Oct. 20, 1981); 2 string quartets: No. 1 (1983; N.Y., April 25, 1984) and No. 2 (1990); Sans Parole I for Cello (1983) and II for Violin (N.Y., Nov. 10, 1988); Lauda for Violin, Cello, and Piano (San Diego, Dec. 7, 1985); Reflections for Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trombone, Contrabass, and Percussion (N.Y., March 10, 1986); Games for 2 for Flute and Bassoon (1994); Games for 3 for Flute, Horn, and Bassoon (1994); Di-Ver-Ti-Mento for Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Horn, and Trombone (1995); Varie Azioni I for Violin and Piano (1995; N.Y., March 13, 1997), II for Clarinet and Piano (1998), and III for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1999); Cantiones Vulgares for Flute and Clarinet (1996); Pensieri Sospesi for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (Mexico City, Nov. 13, 1997); Four Shades of Tango for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1998–99). KEYBOARD : Piano : Pezzo (1969; New Haven, Feb. 13, 1971); Memorie Pie (Royan, March 24, 1976); Collected Moments (1996; N.Y., March 13, 1997); Rounds & Relays for 2 Pianos (1997). VOCAL: Two Accounts of Childhood for Soprano or Mezzo-soprano and Piano (1964); lie for Chorus (1964–88); Save Me, O God for Chorus (1965); Apodoses for Baritone and Piano (1966); O God, My Heart is Fixed for Chorus (1966); Equinox I (Baltimore, May 23, 1967) and II (Tanglewood, Aug. 14, 1968) for Soprano Ensemble; Isonic for Soprano, Flute, 2 Pianos, and Percussion (Graz, Oct. 26, 1970); Lux Aeterna for Chorus (1972); Canti Trinacriani for Baritone, Orch., and Tape (1975; Royan, March 2, 1976); Tre Canzoni for Soprano or Mezzo-soprano, Flute, and Cello (N.Y., May 18, 1976); Vuci Siculani for Mezzo-soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Guitar, and String Quartet (N.Y, Dec. 12, 1979); Fantasia Celeste for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (Boston, April 4, 1983); Six Ancient Greek Lyrics for Soprano or Mezzo-soprano, Flute, Cello, and Piano (N.Y, Dec. 10, 1984); Musiculi II for Women’s Voices and Orch. (1985–86; N.Y, Feb. 19, 1991) and IV for Chorus and Orch. (1990–92); Eyes of the Peacock for Soprano and Piano (1988); I Shall Know Why for Soprano or Mezzo-soprano, Chorus, and Piano (1988); The Light of Heaven for Soprano or Mezzo-soprano, Chorus, and Piano (1988); Come Sing for Chorus and Piano (1988); O Blesed Bodie! for Chorus (1988); Greek Lyrics for Soprano, Chorus, Piano, and Strings(N.Y, June 5, 1988); Cinque Canti for Baritone and Piano (1995;N.Y, March 13, 1997).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire