Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Mario (1895–1969)

Italian composer. He studied at the Istituto Musicale Cherubini in Florence and later with Ildebrando Pizzetti. At the age of 15 he wrote Cielo di settembre for piano (later orchestra) and in 1925 he gained a prize for his opera La mandragola (after Machiavelli). He settled in the USA in 1939, at first in Larchmont, New York , and then Los Angeles.

Castelnuovo-Tedesco was born in Florence. In 1939, being a Jew, he was forced by Mussolini's racial laws to leave Italy and settled in the USA, later becoming a US citizen and establishing himself as a film composer.

Works Opera six operas, including La mandragola (1925) and Bacco in Toscana (1931).

Orchestral Shakespearean concert overtures, 12 concertos for various instruments, including second guitar concerto (1953).

Chamber three string quartets (1929, 1948, 1964); sonatas for many instruments; numerous piano pieces, including Questo fu il carro della morte (1913).

Songs settings of all the songs in Shakespeare's plays (in English) for voice and piano, and other songs.