MARIO BERTONCINI (*1934) "UNRELEASED RECORDINGS" (1964-74)

1932 born in Rome: composer, pianist, musical constructivist.

1951-61 classical and musical studies (composition with G. Petrassi and piano with R. Caporali) in Rome; electronic music in Utrecht (G.M. Koenig).
From 1956 he performs widely as concert pianist in Europe, as a soloist with orchestra (with Bruno Maderna, Daniele Paris, Mario Rossi, Paul Hupperts, Roelof Krol and others) and in recitals.
1962 price Nicola d'Atri (S. Cecilia National Academy) for SEI PEZZI PER ORCHESTRA.

Mario Bertoncini: CIFRE (1964/67)

for prepared piano(s) - Detail
Photographer: Gerd Rische
 

Mario Bertoncini: QUODLIBET (1964)
Page of the Score



1964-68 first experiments with prepared instruments (QUODLIBET, CIFRE, TUNE, SCRATCH-A-MATIC). 1965 price of the Fondation europeènne de la Culture for QUODLIBET. 1965-73 member of the improvisation group »Nuova Consonanza« in Rome. 1967-73 Professor at the State Conservatory G. Rossini in Pesaro, Italy. Music Theater; theoretic and practical work on a functional interaction of sound and gestures (SPAZIO-TEMPO, ›Note per un teatro della realtà‹).
1968 EPITAFFIO: correspondence between the action of drawing and writing a text and its sonorous result. 1970 première (Venice, Biennale d'Arte) of SPAZIO-TEMPO. Construction of his first sound objects on the priciple of the Aeolian harp.
1970-72 president of contemporary music society Nuova Consonanza, Rome. 1974 invited to Berlin as »artist in residence« of the DAAD art program; realization of the first ambitious project of open air kinetic sound-sculptures (VELE, Berliner Festwochen).
1975-76 associate professorship at the McGill University, Montréal: realisation of an experimental composition course called ›Musical Design Course‹ (founder of the MUD group, later known as SONDE).
From 1980 (to 1997) professorship at the Hochschule der Künste, Berlin. 1986 co-founded the theater group VIE with Matina Schaak and Roberto Capanna; german patent of an interactive system for the transformation of dance-gestures in optical and acoustic signals called
›Choreophon‹.
1992-93 development and german patent of the ›Stabdämpfer‹ (bar mute), a special device for the preparation of stringed instruments.
Combined compositional work with performing activities as a pianist: works by Scarlatti, Schönberg, Stravinsky, Satie, Messiaen, Scelsi, John Cage, Terry Riley, Morton Feldman etc. and own arrangement: Earle Brown 4 SYSTEMS; Cage CARTRIDGE MUSIC. Concert/Lectures in Germany, Italy, USA, Canada, Europe, Corea, Israel.
2004 leaves Berlin and settles in Cetona, Italy.
info from Mario Bertoncini's website > http://www.mariobertoncini.com/

 Mario Bertoncini: QUODLIBET (1964)
Performers: Osvaldo Remedi (vla),
John Heineman (perc.), Luigi Lansillotta (vcl)
Photographer: Roberto Carnevali



1. Scratch-A-Matic (1971) for piano (strings) [piano/DC-motor] 21:24
(operated by nine DC motors + tape delay with speed variation)

2. An American Dream (1974) for prepared piano [piano/motors] 06:54

3. Cifre (1964/67) [three pianos] 07:41
(for piano(s) and a variable number of performers)

4. Quodlibet (1964) for viola, cello, bass and percussion 12:46
(score to be projected in sections ordered by the performers)

5. Chanson pour instruments à vent (1974) for aeolian harps 14:17
[aeolian harp & gongs + player]
(operated by compressed air, 1 performer)

6. Tune (1965) for x series of five suspended cymbals 10:34


I got this from a friend (cassette rip) - all informations in [...] are from
my copy (provided with the cd-r) - all information in (...) are from M.Bertoncini's website.

{recordings by the composer - were meant for release on Edition RZ - which never happened...}

.....reup of a post I did in 2011 somewhere else...far too interesting for oblivion....