(Berio, Maderna, Clementi, Nono)
It really feels like we’re coming to the end. Aldo Clementi, the last of that extraordinary generation of post-war Italian composers that included Luciano Berio, Bruno Maderna and Luigi Nono, has died at the age of 86. As far as I can tell the news hasn’t made it to any of the mainstream English-language media (and may not at all), but the Giornale della musica has the story, as does ClassicalMusic.org.uk.
Update, 27 April 2011: With thanks to commentor John McClean for drawing my attention, here’s Ivan Hewett’s obituary for the Guardian.
There’s a surprising amount of Clementi uploaded to YouTube. Here’s a moving example, 1994’s …Im Himmelreich:
There are also various bits on Spotify and I’ll be adding a couple of tracks in memoriam to the Radio Rambler playlist.
The Rambler 
I never heard Clementi before. Which is sad. But thanks so much for introducing me now. I look forward to a new sound world.
Delighted that you have mentioned this: the silence from the English Press has been deafening. I wish that I could claim to be surprised. However, I was surprised, like you, to see the variety of recordings available on YouTube, so things could be worse…
This is sad news. Really one of the greats. Actually, greater than the greats, for remaining true to his utterly unique vision. Compelling, beautiful and entrancing music.
Saludos,
Hoy lunes 7 de marzo, de 17.00 a 18.00 horas en Radiópolis (Sevilla, 98.4 FM) una nueva edición del programa dedicado a la música de vanguardia “Chorro de Luz” (en Internet, http://www.radiopolis.org).
Dedicaremos el espacio ‘in memoriam’ al compositor italiano Aldo Clementi (1925 – 3/III/2011) que fallecía la pasada semana.
ALDO CLEMENTI, ‘IN MEMORIAM’
Escucharemos:
Scherzo
GiAn(ca)rlo CArDini
C.A.G
Albumblatt
Madrigale
Concerto per pianoforte
——————
El programa se repetirá el próximo viernes a las 15.00 horas
Clementi largely but not completely overlooked in the UK- there was a wonderful portrait concert of his work at last year’s Spitalfields Festival, presented by Darryl Buckley/Elision as part of James Weeks’ curated season there. And there is also a beautiful, elegiac flute piece on the latest Sound and Music podcast. Strange to say, I was listening to this last thing before leaving the office on Friday, then someone texted me on the way home to say he’d died. Sad news.
Those flute pieces are particularly beautiful – the recent CD on Mode is a must.
Thanks for the kind words. Find a full track from the release here on YouTube.
We are very sad to hear the news of his death. The world has lost another great composer.
Below are a couple of videos from last summer on the Aldo Clementi event presented by James Weeks :
Y0u missed the recent obituary in the Guardian; shame that so little of his music appears to be available on disc.
Thanks John, I had missed that. I’ll add a link to the post now.
haha, thanks for offering “…Im Himmelreich” video. It’s a video from my own channel.
I also cried his death. Discovered a year before his death, compulsively listened, and now a true love of mine.
Sadly, there’s no more than the 50% of his output recorded. So, we still must wait to the labels to bring us new releases.