Ildebrando Pizzetti

Full biography Ildebrando Pizzetti

Ildebrando Pizzetti was an Italian composer and musicologist who lived from 20 September 1880 to 13 February 1968. He was born in Parma and studied music with several notable Italian musicians, including Lorenzo Perosi and Antonio Bazzini. His early works were influenced by Italian nationalism and he later became associated with the Giovanni Guidi School.

Pizzetti's compositions include operas, orchestral works, chamber music, and choral works. He was known for his use of modal harmonies, chromaticism, and rich polyphony. Some of his most famous works include "Fedra," "Lo straniero," "Assassinio nella cattedrale," and "Canti della stagione alta."

Pizzetti was also a respected musicologist and held a professorship at the Milan Conservatory. He was an influential member of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and served as its president from 1947 to 1952. He was also a member of the Accademia dei Lincei and the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno.

Despite his success, Pizzetti remained humble and devoted to his art. He once said, "I have only composed two or three good pages of music in my life, but I have never allowed anything bad to go out under my name." He loved classical poetry and was often inspired by it when composing music.

Pizzetti's contributions to Italian music have been widely recognized, and he remains an important figure in the country's musical history.