MALIPIERO, GIAN FRANCESCO

born March 18, 1882, Venice died Aug. 1, 1973, Treviso, Italy Italian composer whose music represented a fusion of modern techniques with the stylistic qualities of early Italian music. Malipiero studied at the Vienna Conservatory and in Venice and Bologna, and subsequently he traveled to Paris, where he was influenced by contemporary French music. In 1921 he became professor of composition at the Parma Conservatory. Later he was director of the Istituto Musicale Pollini at Padua, and in 1939 he became director of the Liceo Benedetto Marcello in Venice. Malipiero, with Alfredo Casella, played a leading part in Italian music in the 1920s. Rebelling against the realistic aesthetic of verismo that inspired Puccini, he rediscovered Italian pre-Romantic music. His work reflects the spirit of 17th- and 18th-century Venetian music, and his operas, that of Monteverdi. His music is characteristically contrapuntal, with some dissonance resulting from the counterpoint. Its tonality is based on free use of diatonic (as opposed to chromatic) material. Malipiero's works include the operas L'Orfeide (191822; The Orpheon) and Venere prigioniera (1957; Captive Venus); the cantata or mystery San Francesco d'Assisi (1922; St. Francis of Assisi); the oratorio La Passione (1935; The Passion); and several piano concerti. Among his orchestral works are Pause del silenzio (1917; Pause of Silence), which reflects the impact of World War I; Impressioni dal vero (three parts; 191022; Impression of Truth); Fantasie di ogni giorni (1954; Fantasy of Every Day); Notturno di canti e balli (1957; Nocturne of Songs and Dances); and nine symphonies. His chamber works include seven string quartets, of which the first, Rispetti e strambotti (1920; Regards and Folderol) is particularly known; and works for various instruments. Malipiero made important contributions to musical scholarship. He edited the complete works of Monteverdi, 16 vol. (192642), and collaborated in the collected edition of the works of Vivaldi. He also edited works of Corelli, Frescobaldi, and others and wrote numerous articles for scholarly journals.