TT he Living Composers Project  

Ambrosini, Claudio (b. April 9, 1948, Venice). Italian composer of mostly stage, orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, piano, and multimedia works that have been performed throughout the world; he is also active as a conductor.

Mr. Ambrosini initially studied foreign languages and literature at the Università di Milano and there earned his MA in both subjects in 1972. He then studied electronic music with Alvise Vidolin at the Conservatorio di Venezia from 1972–75, where he also studied early instruments from 1975–78. In addition, he studied music history at the Università di Venezia and there earned his MA in 1978. Important to his development were his meetings with Bruno Maderna and Luigi Nono.

His honors include the Prix de Rome (1985, the first Italian to receive this prize) and a term as the Italian representative for the European Year of Music (1985). He also represented Italy at the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers (1986). More recently, he earned the Leone d'Oro per la Musica at the Biennale di Venezia (2007, for Plurimo [per Emilio Vedova]). He has received commissions from the Accademia Filarmonica Romana, the government of France, RAI, the Spaziomusica festival, the Teatro La Fenice, the Venice Biennale, and WDR, among other organizations. His works have been featured at many leading festivals, including a portrait concert at the Milano Musica festival in 1995.

He is also active in other positions. He has worked on computer music at the Centro per la Sonologia Computazionale in Padua since 1976. He founded the Ex Novo Ensemble in Venice in 1979, which exclusively plays contemporary music, and has since served as its conductor. He also founded the Centro Internazionale per la Ricerca Strumentale in Venice in 1983 and remains its director today.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address: audio.ambrosia@libero.it

Street address: Mr. Claudio Ambrosini, Cannaregio 3099, 30121 Venice, Italy

Telephone: + 390 4171 8931

Telephone/fax: + 3904 1524 0550

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

STAGE: Orfeo, l'ennesimo (1 act opera, libretto by Carlo d'Altilia), 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, small orchestra (13 players), 1984 (a suite was arranged, 1993); Il sogno (lyric nocturne/theatre piece, libretto by the composer), soprano (+ piano), tape, 1989; Canzoniere ballato (2 act ballet, texts by Giorgio Baffo, Yves Bonnefoy, an anonymous source), soprano, clarinet, piano, percussion, 1991 (five sections may be performed separately as concert works: Le fleuve; Pórtite amore, adeo; Lode alle tette; Ballo da sfioro; Ballo in ottava rima); Anima mundi (theatre of sound images), voices, ensemble, tape, 1995; Frammenti d'acque (musical dramaturgy), flute, trumpet, French horn, harp, glass instruments, 2 percussion, live electronics, 1996; Il giudizio universale (1 act opera buffa, libretto by the composer), soprano, tenor, actor, small orchestra (15 players), live electronics, 1996; Pandora librante (2 act ballet after Italo Calvino, texts by Lucrezio Caro, an anonymous 13th-century Italian source, Cecco Angiolieri), soprano, mezzo-soprano, ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2 percussion), orchestra, 1997 (nine sections may be performed separately as concert works: Il sole, la polvere; L'usignolo; Sì fosse foco; Alba; Andante leggero, quasi inesistente; Prestissimo dimezzato; Misurato Kaosmicomico; Notturno, dei sentieri; Ostinato rampante)

STAGE: La vera storia dell'invenzione del pianoforte (1 act music theatre work), actor, Disklavier, 1998; Le cahier perdu de Casanova (scenic concert, text by the composer), 1998 (each of its two sections may be performed separately as stage works: Casanova's carnet de bal [dance suite], harp, piano 4 hands, percussion; Notturni, albe, serenate, 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, piano); BIG BANG CIRCUS (piccola storia dell'universo, opera in 2 times, libretto by Sandro Cappelletto, the composer), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass, actor, small orchestra (16 players), live electronics, 2001–02; Vademecum (sonic breviary), artists' voices, ensemble, live electronics, 2004; Orfeo – Toccata (da Monteverdi)/La Via Lattea (musical pilgrimage in ten stations), 2004; il canto della pelle (SEX Unlimited) (2 part melodramma giocoso with labyrinth, texts from the Atharva Veda, the Kama Sutra, the Bible, the Orphic Hymns, Tantra, Sappho, John Donne, San Juan de la Cruz, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Veronica Gambara, Giorgio Baffo, Veronica Franco, Gaspara Stampa, Lucretius, Trotula of Salerno, Juvenal, Walt Whitman, anonymous graffiti from Pompeii), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass, actress, dancer, small orchestra, live electronics, 2005 (a concert suite was arranged)

ORCHESTRAL: Veneziano (concerto), piano, orchestra, 1984–85; Doppio concerto grosso, piano, ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, French horn, trumpet, string quartet, double bass, percussion), large orchestra, 1987; Andante leggero, quasi inesistente, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Prestissimo dimezzato, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Misurato Kaosmicomico, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Notturno, dei sentieri, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Ostinato rampante, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Pausa irreale, large orchestra, 2004; Tocar (concerto), piano, orchestra, 2007; Plurimo (per Emilio Vedova) (concerto), 2 pianos, orchestra, 2007

CHAMBER MUSIC: Canzone curva, detta dell'occhiolino, guitar, c. 1972, notated 1992; Pensiero minore, guitar, c. 1972, notated 1992; Canzone d'ombre, guitar, c. 1973, notated 1992; Canzone a perdere, guitar, c. 1973, notated 1992; Tantalo sorridente, guitar, c. 1973, notated 1992; Canzone molle, guitar, c. 1973, notated 1992; Capriccio alla siciliana, guitar, c. 1973, notated 1992; Due notturni, guitar, c. 1973, notated 1993; Scherzo (Omaggio à Escher), guitar, 1974, notated 1993; Blues, guitar, c. 1974, notated 1992; Notturno (Tombeau for Jimi H.), guitar, 1975, notated 1992; Arie e Danze, guitar, 1976; Uno e Trino, flute, oboe, amplified clarinet, 1979; Negli sguardi di Eurialo e Niso, flute, clarinet, 2 plants (dipped into water), tape, 1980; Cadenza estesa e Coda, amplified flute, tape, 1981; Icaros, violin, 1981; A guisa di un arcier presto soriano, flute, 1981; 'Oh, mia Euridice'...a Fragment, clarinet (+ voice), viola, 1981 (also version for clarinet [+ voice], cello, piano, 1990, revised 1991); Trompe-l'oreille, flute, vibraphone, 1981; Una forma, chiusa, flute, violin, viola, 1981; Trobar clar, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, 1982; Capriccio, detto l'ermafrodita, bass clarinet, 1983; Rousseau, le douanier: 'Follia d'Orlando', clarinet, 1983; Vietato ai minori, upright piano (with total mute pedal), ensemble (flute, clarinet, cello, harpsichord, percussion), 1983; Nell'orecchio di Van Gogh, una pulce, upright piano (with total mute pedal) (+ piano), ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, percussion), 1983; Concavo, convesso, upright piano (with total mute pedal), ensemble (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, percussion), 1983, revised 2000

CHAMBER MUSIC: Gli italiani parlano tutti con le mani, upright piano (with total mute pedal) (+ piano), ensemble (flute, trumpet, electric guitar, violin, cello, double bass, 2 percussion), 1984; De vulgari eloquentia, piano, ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin [+ viola], cello), 1984; Hic sunt Leones, piano, ensemble (flute, clarinet, saxophone [+ clarinet], violin, viola, cello, percussion), 1984; (Noche oscura), piano, ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, viola, cello, double bass, percussion), 1984–85; Trobar clus, piano, ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, string quartet, double bass, percussion), 1985; Dettaglio sacrilego, percussion, ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass), 1987; Rondaccio, piano, 1–2 percussion, 1988 (version of Rondò di forza); Il satellite sereno, flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, tape, 1989; Dove c'è un tabù c'è un desiderio, 2 cornets, curtal, 4 trombones, violin, viola, cello, positive organ, harpsichord, 1990; Ballo da sfioro, clarinet, piano, 2 percussion, 1991 (section of Canzoniere ballato; may be performed separately as a concert work; also version for 2 ensembles [clarinet, piano, 2 percussion; bassoon, harp, string quartet, double bass], 1996)

CHAMBER MUSIC: Priapo assiderato, guitar, 1992; For a Month we Loved Forever, percussion, 1994; Rap, guitar, 1994; Ballo sghembo, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, 1994; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un fauve, flute, violin, piano, 1994; Ciaccona del giglio, guitar, 1995; Labirinto armonico (fantasy on Kleines harmonisches Labyrinth by Johann Sebastian Bach), flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, string quartet, double bass, piano, percussion, 1995; Due improvvisi, Disklavier, 1997; Vita, violin, 2003; Il suono e il suo doppio, cello, 2004; De alchimia, ensemble, 2004

CHORAL: Proverbs of Hell (cantata, text by William Blake), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, mixed chorus, piano, percussion, large orchestra, 1990–91; Susanna (oratorio, text by Sandro Cappelletto), soprano, boy soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, small mixed chorus, cornet, sackbut, lute, double harp, 2 violins, viola da gamba, double bass, positive organ (+ harpsichord), percussion, 1995–96; Acrobata (text by Edoardo Sanguineti), 4 mixed voices, 1997; Soliloquy (text by Sylvia Plath), 4 female voices, 2003; Dai filò di Zanzotto (text by Andrea Zanzotto), 4 female voices, piano, 2003; Lied ohne Worte (text by the composer, after Ludwig van Beethoven, Friedrich Schiller, children from the Terezín concentration camp [Pavel Friedmann, Hanus Hachenburg, 'Teddy' L410, anonymous]), soprano, children's chorus, piano, tape, 2004; Ur-Malo, da Meneghello (polittico, text by Luigi Meneghello), 4 female voices, piano (+ objects), 2007

VOCAL: Il segreto (text from an anonymous source), soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, harp, violin, viola, cello, 2 percussion, 1988; Le fleuve (text by Yves Bonnefoy), soprano, clarinet, percussion, 1991 (section of Canzoniere ballato; may be performed separately as a concert work); Pórtite amore, adeo (text from an anonymous source), soprano, clarinet, percussion, 1991 (section of Canzoniere ballato; may be performed separately as a concert work); Lode alle tette (text by Giorgio Baffo), soprano, clarinet, violin ad libitum, percussion, 1991 (section of Canzoniere ballato; may be performed separately as a concert work); Eco, c'è ascuti (text by Giovanni Meli), mezzo-soprano, vibraphone, 1993; Orfeo, l'ennesimo, 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone (+ clarinet), trumpet, trombone, string quartet, double bass, piano, percussion, 1993 (suite from opera); Tutti parlano (text by Virgilio Guidi), soprano, flute, cello, 1993; Il sole, la polvere (text by Lucrezio Caro), soprano, mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); L'usignolo (text from an anonymous 13th-century Italian source), soprano, mezzo-soprano, flute, violin, percussion, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Sì fosse foco (text by Cecco Angiolieri), soprano, mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately); Alba (text from an anonymous 13th-century Italian source), soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 percussion, 1997 (section of Pandora librante; may be performed separately as a concert work); Passione secondo Marco (oratorio, texts by Sandro Cappelletto, the Book of Mark), coloratura soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, speaker, flute, clarinet, French horn, violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano 4 hands, 2 percussion, 1999–2000; il canto della pelle (SEX Unlimited), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass, small orchestra, live electronics, 2006 (concert suite from stage work)

PIANO: Rondò di forza, 1981 (also version as Rondaccio, piano, 1–2 percussion); Impromptu, 1982; Épater! Épater!, upright piano (with total mute pedal), 1982; Grande ballo futurista, upright piano (with total mute pedal), 1982; Capriccio, 2 pianos, 1982; Apocrifo, upright piano (with total mute pedal), 1984; Ballo in ottava rima, 1991 (section of Canzoniere ballato; may be performed separately as a concert work); Preludio, a sguardi, 1994; Ciaccona, 1998

ARRANGEMENTS: Canzoni I–II from Canzoni et sonate for sonar con ogni sorta di stromenti (Giovanni Gabrieli), ensemble, 1985; Toccata from L'Orfeo (Claudio Monteverdi), ensemble, 1985; Canzon XIII a 12, Canzon I a 5, Sonata XIX a 15 from Sacræ symphoniæ and Canzoni et sonate for sonar con ogni sorta di stromenti (Giovanni Gabrieli), large orchestra, 1998

RADIO PRODUCTIONS: I sogni sono soltanto schiuma? (text by Sandro Cappelletto), 1989 (consists of Il sogno della miniera; Il sogno di Donizetti; Il sogno delle scale; Il sogno di Nabuccodonosor; Il sogno di Wagner; Il sogno del treno perduto; Il sogno degli Amanti; Il sogno di Orlando; Il sogno di Costantino; Gli esami non finiscono mai; Il sogno dei Lupi Bianchi; La notte); Iti, guerrieri, amorosi (text by Sandro Cappelletto), 1993 (consists of Apollo e Marsia; Pasifae; Eco e Narciso; Atalanta; Persefone; Ermafrodita; Perseo e Andromeda; Ercole)

MULTIMEDIA: Video Music, film, 1974; Solo/Tutti, ensemble, audio-video circuit (with direttore d'ascolto [a conductor for the proper listening of the audience]), 1973–75; Christmas Carol, film, 1975; Hair-Cut, film, 1976; Autobiografia, film, 1976; De Photographia, film, 1976; Tocco Nos. 1–3, film, 1976; Audioidentikit, film, 1976; Light Solfeggio, film, 1977; Taperecorder Suite, film, 1977 (consists of Relationships; Kissing; Perpetual Motion; I love you); Zoom, film, 1977; Wind Orchestra, film, 1977; Istra Suite, film, 1977; Video Canon, film, 1977; Ritratto, film, 1977; Aria, film, 1978; Video Sonata, film, 1979; Sentire/ascoltare, film, 1979

LIBRETTOS/TEXTS (for music theatre works unless otherwise noted): Il pappagallo di Mozart, 1988; Il bacio, 1989; For Amore, 1989; M'ama? Non M'ama?, 1994; L'asino di Buridano, 1994; SSS (Sportello Suoni Smarriti), 1995; Il miracolo dei sensi (comic opera), 1996; Stesso posto, tra un anno, 1996; Il pappagallo di Lennon, 1997; Il mago dei suoni (comic opera), 1998

(Last updated on November 10, 2008)
Claudio Ambrosini, Claudio Ambrosine, Claudio Ambrosinni, Claudio Ambrosinne