Ginastera, Alberto Evaristo (1916–1983)

Argentine composer. His early works, including his Pampeana No. 3 (1954), are mostly in a nationalistic style, but after 1958 he turned to modern techniques of serialism, aleatory rhythms (see aleatory music), and the use of microtones. He is best known for his operas, which renounce his earlier nationalist style for more advanced atonal techniques: Don Rodrigo (1964), Bomarzo (1967), and Beatrix Cenci (1971).

He studied with Athos Palma at the National Conservatory of Buenos Aires and graduated in 1938. He visited the USA 1945–47, and from 1948 taught in Buenos Aires, where he was director of the Centre for Advanced Musical Studies from 1963. After Bomarzo was banned in Argentina for alleged obscenities in the ballet, he left Buenos Aires and lived in the USA from 1968 and Europe from 1970.

Works Stage operas Don Rodrigo (1964), Bomarzo (1967), Beatrix Cenci (1971); ballets Panambi (1940), Estancia (1941).

Vocal psalms for chorus and orchestra, cantata Bomarzo for narrator, baritone, and orchestra (1964).

Orchestral Variaciones concertantes for orchestra (1953), Concerto per corde (1965), Estudios sinfónicos (1967), two piano concertos (1961, 1972), violin concerto (1963), two cello concertos (1968, 1980).

Chamber three string quartets (1948, 1953, 1973), three piano sonatas (1952, 1981, 1982), piano quintet (1963), cello sonata (1979).