Agostini, Mezio

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Agostini, Mezio

Agostini, Mezio, Italian composer, pianist, conductor, and pedagogue; b. Fano, Aug. 12, 1875; d. there, April 22, 1944. He studied with Carlo Pedrotti at the Liceo Rossini in Pesaro (1885–92), where he subsequently was a prof. of harmony (1900–09); was then director of the Liceo Benedetto Marcello in Venice (1909–10). He was active as an opera conductor in Venice and other Italian cities, and gave chamber music concerts as a pianist. His Trio won 1st prize at the international competition in Paris in 1904. He wrote the operas Iovo e Maria (1896), Il Cavaliere del Sogno (Fano, Feb. 24, 1897), La penna d’Airone (1896), Alcibiade (1902), America (also entitled Hail Columbia, 1904), L’ombra (1907), L’agnello del sogno (1928), and La Figlio del navarca (Fano, Sept. 3, 1938). Other works include a Sym., 4 orch. suites, a Piano Concerto, 2 string quartets, 2 piano trios, a Cello Sonata, a Violin Sonata, the cantata A Rossini, numerous piano pieces, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire