d’Alessandro, Raffaele
d’Alessandro, Raffaele
d’Alessandro, Raffaele, Swiss pianist, organist, and composer; b. St. Gallen, March 17, 1911; d. Lausanne, March 17, 1959. He studied music with Victor Schlatter and Willi Schuh in Zurich; then went to Paris, where he studied composition with Boulanger and organ with Dupré. In 1940 he returned to Switzerland and settled in Lausanne, where he became active as a pianist, organist, and composer.
Works
DRAMATIC: Ballet: Isla persa (1952). ORCH.: 3 piano concertos (1939, 1945, 1951); Rumba sinfonica (1940); Conga contrapuntique (1941) Violin Concerto (1941); Flute Concerto (1943); 2 syms. (1948, 1953); Bassoon Concerto (1955); Oboe Concerto (1958). CHAMBER: 2 violin sonatas (1936, 1953); Cello Sonata (1937); Piano Trio (1940); Flute Sonata (1943); 2 string quartets (1947, 1952); Oboe Sonata (1949); Sonatina for Solo Oboe (1953); Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano (1953); Bassoon Sonata (1957); Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Piano (1958). Piano: Sonatina for left hand alone (1939); 24 Preludes 40); Sonatina for 2 Pianos (1943); 12 études (1952); Contes drolatiques (1952); 6 Klavierstücke for left hand alone (1958). OTHER: Many pieces for organ; choruses; several songs with orch., organ, or piano.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire