Born:
October 24, 1925
Birthplace:
Oneglia, Italy
Died:
May 27, 2003 in Rome
Also Known As:
Luciano Berio was an Italian composer, conductor, theorist and educator known for his innovative style. He is also instrumental in the growth of electronic music. In 1955, Berio, together with Italian composer Bruno Maderna, founded the
Studio di Fonologia Musicale at Radiotelevisione Italiana in Milan. The two composers also published
Incontri Musicali, a journal reviewing avant-garde music. Berio became artistic director of the
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in 2000.
Type of Compositions:
Berio wrote instrumental and vocal pieces,
operas, orchestral works and other compositions using traditional and modern techniques. Berio combined his fascination with the human voice with different techniques including the use of electronics.
Influence:
Berio studied at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan. After receiving a scholarship, he traveled to Tanglewood, Massachusetts where he studied with Italian composer Luigi Dallapiccola. Berio's works were influenced by such composers as Boulez,
Stravinsky and
Webern. As a teacher, he taught at Mills College in California, Tanglewood,
Juilliard School, Harvard University as well as schools in Britain and Germany.
Notable Works:
His major works include "Epifanie," "Serenata," "Circles," "Différences," "Un re in ascolto," "Sequenza series," "Laborintus II," "four Chemins," "Sinfonia," "Coro," "Formazioni," "Outis" and "Cronaca del luogo," For "Sinfonia" (for 8 voices and orchestra); he used the works of
Mahler,
Ravel,
Strauss,
Wagner, to name a few, as references.
Interesting Facts:
Berio was married to Cathy Berberian, an actress and soprano, for whom "Recital 1" and "Sequenza III" was written. He worked with Boulez at the
Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM) in Paris.
Related Video:
Listen to "
Sequenza III" by Luciano Berio courtesy of YouTube
