Composition 3

MUH 2026

Luciano Berio

Indicative works: Omaggio a Joyce (tape) (1958), Visage (tape) (1961), Sequenza No 3 for Woman's Voice (1965-6), Laborintus 2 (1965), Sinfonia (1968-9), Folk songs (1964/1973), Points on the Curve to Find (1974)

Very prominent Italian composer. He developed a particular interest in music for the voice and possibly as a result of this, an interest in more dramatic aspects of music, often including elements of acting and recitation in choral and instrumental music. See also Postmodernism, especially with regard to Claud Levi-Strauss. Quotes in Sinfonia: Mahler, Symphony No 2.

Sequenza 3 (rm)

Sequenza 3 (mp3)

See also, in relation to Laborintus 2, Busqueda by James MacMillan.

Other Links:

• Beckett/Sinfonia
• Ommagio a Joyce
• Guardian review of Sinfonia

Available in the library:

AUTHOR(S)    Osmond-Smith, David
      TITLE    Berio
     FORMAT    book
  PUBLISHER    OUP 1991
   DESCRIPT    158p
     SERIES     1) Oxford studies of composers,

• Grove article on Berio
• Photo

Berio Techniques

Typical Berio compositional techniques include:

• Interest in the voice
• Very eclectic musical tastes, tending not to focus specifically on particular techniques such as serialism.
• Interest in social/political ideas
• Interests in varieties of tonality
• Strong featuring of instrumental techniques
• Use of drama within instrumental and vocal music