Ghedini, Giorgio Federico

Ghedini, Giorgio Federico, Italian composer and pedagogue; b. Cuneo, July 11, 1892; d. Nervi, March 25, 1965. He studied piano and organ with Evasio Lovazzano, cello with S. Grossi, and composition withG. Cravero at the Turin Cons., and then composition at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna with M.E. Bossi, graduating in 1911. He was prof. of harmony and composition at the conservatories in Turin (1918-37), Parma (1938-41), and Milan (from 1941), serving as director of the latter (1951-62). His works evolved from neo- Classicism to more advanced contemporary techniques.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Gringoire (1915); Maria d’Alessandria (Bergamo, Sept. 9, 1937); Re Hassan (Venice, Jan. 26, 1939); La puke d’oro (Genoa, Feb. 15, 1940); Le Baccanti (Milan, Feb. 21, 1948); Bitty Budd, after Melville (Venice, Sept. 7, 1949); Lord Inferno, “harmonious comedy” for radio, after Beerbohm’s The Happy Hypocrite (RAI, Oct. 22, 1952; rev. version as L’Ipocrita felice, Milan, March 10, 1956); La Via della Croce (Venice, April 9, 1961). B a l l e t : Girotondo, mime play for children (Venice, 1959). ORCH.: Partita (1926); Concerto grosso for Wind Quintet and Strings (1927); Pezzo concertante for 2 Violins, Viola obbligato, and Orch. (1931); Marinaresca e baccanale (1933; Rome, Feb. 2, 1936); Sym. (1938); Architetture (1940; Rome, Jan. 19, 1941); Invenzioni for Cello, Strings, Kettledrums, and Cymbals (1940); Piano Concerto (1946); Musica Notturna for Chamber Orch. (1947); Concerto for 2 Pianos and Chamber Orch. (1947; Milan, Jan. 24, 1948); // Belprato for Violin and Strings (1947); Canzoni (1948); L’Alderina for Flute, Violin, and Orch. (1951); L’Olmeneta for 2 Cellos and Orch. (1951); Musica da concerto for Viola and Strings (1953); Concentus Basiliensis for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1954); Vocalizzo da concerto for Cello or Baritone and Orch. (1957); Fantasie for Piano and Strings (1958); Sonata da concerto for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (1958); Divertimento for Violin and Orch. (1960); Studi per un affresco di battaglia (1962); Contrappunti for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Strings (1962); Musica concertante for Cello and Strings (1962); Appunti per un credo for Chamber Orch. (1962); Concert Overture (1963). CHAMBER: Wind Quintet (1910); Piano Quartet (1917); Double Quartet for 5 Winds, 5 Strings, Harp, and Piano (1921); Violin Sonata (1922); Cello Sonata (1924); 2 string quartets (1927,1959); Adagio e allegro da Concerto for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Viola, Cello, and Harp (1936); Concertato for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1942); 7 Ricercari for Piano Trio (1943); Canons for Violin and Cello (1946); Concentus for String Quartet (1948); Music for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1963); piano pieces. VOCAL: Le messa del Venerdi santo, oratorio (1929; Perugia, Sept. 27, 1949); masses; cantatas; motets; choral pieces; songs.

Bibliography

N. Castiglioni, G.F. G (Milan, 1955).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire