PETRASSI, GOFFREDO

born July 16, 1904, Zagarolo, near Rome one of the foremost Italian composers of the 20th century. After completing his musical studies he was appointed to the faculty of St. Cecilia Academy in Rome as professor of composition; in 1956 he taught composition classes at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood, Mass., and throughout his career he toured widely as a conductor. Petrassi composed in a variety of styles. His early music shows the influence of Casella and Hindemith; his later, that of Stravinsky and Schoenberg. Choral composition, as in Coro di morti (1940-41), the cantata Noche oscura (1950-51), and Orationes Christi (1974-75), played a major role in his development. In his later compositions he displayed an interest in twelve-tone procedures, and several of his eight concerti for orchestra (1931-72) feature liberal doses of atonality. Petrassi's other works include operas, ballets, chamber and keyboard music, and songs.