Alberto Ginastera

Alberto Ginastera (1916 -1983)

Biography:

Alberto Ginastera, an Argentinian composer, was born in Bueno Aires on April 11, 1916 to Catalonian and Italian immigrants who were devoted to agriculture and trade. He began studying music at a very young age and at 12, he entered Williams Conservatory. Ginastera received a number of different awards, recognition and funds during his studies. In 1942, he received a grant to visit the United States, however he waited until 1945 to take the offer.

Ginastera was definitely a representative of musical nationalism. He was very versatile; composing five operas, five ballets, orchestra works, a harp concerto, etc.; he created works for the violin, flute, guitar, voice and piano. His music also made it theaters and eleven movies. In total, Ginastera's repertoire contains fifty-five works, however he was a perfectionist who withdrew a number of works from his catalog.  The different styles that could be found in his catalog are broken down into three periods called: Objective Nationalism, Subjective Nationalism, and Neo-Expressionism.

Discography:

Ballet
v  Estancia, Op. 8 (1941)

v  Panambí, Op. 1 (1934–1936)

Opera

v  Beatrix Cenci, Op. 38 (1971)
v  Bomarzo, Op. 34 (1967)
v  Don Rodrigo, Op. 31 (1964)

Orchestral
v  Concerto for strings, Op. 33 (1966)
v  Estudios Sinfonicos, Op. 35 (1967)
v  Lubilum, Op. 51 (1980)
v  Ollantay: 3 Symphonic Movements, Op. 17 (1947)

v  Overture to the Creole Faust , Op. 9 (1943)

v  Pampeana No. 3, Op. 24 (1954)
v  Popol Vuh, Op. 44 (1975–1983)

v  Variaciones concertantes, Op. 23 (1953)

*Discography is abridged by type of composition. Full discography can be found at: http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/5591.html

Bibliography:

"Alberto Ginastera - Classical Archives." Classical Music on Classical Archives: Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. <http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/5591.html>.

"Alberto Ginastera." Fundacion Ostinato. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013.       

<http://ostinato.tripod.com/ginas.html>