Master and Disciple – Dallapiccola & Rochberg
In this episode of Sonoor, the focus is on a master-and-disciple relationship: Italian composer Luigi Dallapiccola (1904-1975) was the first to bring the twelve-tone technique to prominence in Italy, and he gave it a surprisingly lyrical character. His Variazioni per orchestra (1954) are base on an intimate piano piece he wrote for his young daughter Annalibera, with a nod to Johann Sebastian Bach.
American composer George Rochberg (1918-2005) (pictured) met Dallapiccola in Rome in 1950 and became convinced of the possibilities of the twelve-tone technique. His Twelve Bagatelles (1952) were his twelve-tone manifesto, dedicated to his teacher. Following a tragic event, however, he began to distance himself from the method. His Fifth Symphony (1984) shows how the disciple ultimately came to move away from his master…
Playlist
- Luigi Dallapiccola: Variazioni per orchestra [11 sections]. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Hans Rosbaud (conductor).
- George Rochberg: Bagatelles for Piano Nos. 1–12, 1952. Evan Hirsch (piano). [Sections 1 to 12, except No. 7].
- George Rochberg: Symphony No. 5. Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken; Christopher Lyndon-Gee (conductor).
