Longo, Alessandro
Longo, Alessandro
Longo, Alessandro, Italian pianist, teacher, editor, and composer, father of Achille Longo ; b. Amantea, Dec. 30, 1864; d. Naples, Nov. 3, 1945. He began his studies with his father, Achille Longo (b. Melicuccà, Feb. 27, 1832; d. Naples, May 11, 1919), a pianist and composer, and then entered the Naples Cons. (1878), where he studied piano with Cesi, composition with Serrao, and organ (diplomas in all 3, 1885). He was appointed prof. of piano there in 1897, retiring in 1934; later returned as its interim director (1944). Longo also was active as a piano soloist and, from 1909, served as pianist of the Società del Quartetto. In 1892 he founded the Circolo Scarlatti to promote the works of Domenico Scarlatti; ed. the Opere complete per clavicembalo di Domenico Scarlatti (11 vols., Milan, 1906–08); also became ed. of the periodical L’Arte Pianistica (1914), which became the Vita Musicale Italiana; it discontinued publication in 1926. He publ, the study Domenico Scarlatti e la sua figura nella storia della musica (Naples, 1913). He also was the composer of over 300 works, including numerous pieces for piano solo and piano, 4-hands, chamber music, and songs.
Bibliography
M. Limoncelli, A. L.(Naples, 1956).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire