Maderna, Bruno (
b Venice, 1920;
d Darmstadt, 1973). It. composer and conductor, among leaders (with
Berio) of the It.
avant-garde. After service in World War II, was encouraged by Virgil Thomson and met
Boulez. Taught at Venice Cons. 1947–50 and at Darmstadt summer courses (from 1951). With Berio, founded EMS of It. Radio at Milan, 1955, later becoming mus. dir. Milan Radio. Brilliant cond. of 20th-cent. mus. Cond. many modern operas in Europe. Visited USA 1965 to conduct
Nono's Intolleranza at Boston and sym. concerts in Chicago and NY. Salzburg Fest. 1973. His early works were influenced by Bartók and Stravinsky. He adopted serialism in 1951 and Webernian features entered his work. He also used elec. media, usually in combination with live perf. However complex his mus., his native It. lyricism was always present. Prin. works:THEATRE PIECE:
Hyperion (Venice 1964), composite work i.e.
Dimensioni III +
Aria da Hyperion + 2-track tape;
Hyperion II (Dimensioni III + cadenza for fl. +
Aria da Hyperion);
Hyperion III (
Hyperion +
Stele per Diotima);
Dimensioni IV (
Dimensioni III +
Stele per Diotima);
Satyricon (1973).ORCH.:
Serenata for 11 instr. (1946, rev. 1954);
Introduzione e Passacaglia (1947);
Quadrivium (1948); Conc. for 2 pf. and chamber orch. (1948);
Studi per ‘Il Processo’ di Kafka, for reciter, sop., and small orch. (1949); fl. conc. (1954);
Composizione in 3 tempi (1954);
Serenata II for 11 instr. (1957); pf. conc. (1959); vn. conc. (1969); conc. for ob., chamber ens., tape
ad lib (1962, rev. 1965);
Dimensioni III for sop., fl., and orch. (1963);
Aria da Hyperion for sop., fl., and orch. (1964);
Stele per Diotima (1965); ob. conc. (1967);
Music of Gaiety (based on virginals pieces by Byrd, Farnaby, Dowland, and Philips) (1969);
Juilliard Serenade (Free Time I) (1970);
Venetian Journal for ten. and chamber orch. (1971);
Giardino Religioso (1972);
Aura (1972);
Biogramma (1972).TAPE:
Musica su 2 dimensioni, fl. and 2-track tape (1952, rev. 1958);
Notturno (1956);
Syntaxis (2-track) (1957);
Continuo (1958);
Dimensioni II (2-track) (1960);
Tempo libero I (1971);
Ages (1972).CHAMBER MUSIC: str. qt. (1955);
Aulodia per Lothar, ob. d'amore, guitar ad lib (1965);
Widmung for vn. (1967);
Solo (1971);
Dialodia, 2 fl., recorder, ob. (1972);
Y después, guitar (1972).
