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Alfonso Leng was a Chilean composer who was born on May 17, 1894, in Santiago, Chile. He was the son of a prominent Chilean family, and his father was a lawyer and a politician. Leng showed an early interest in music and began studying piano at the age of six. He later studied composition with the Chilean composer Pedro Humberto Allende. Leng's musical career began in the 1920s when he became a member of the Grupo de los Seis, a group of Chilean composers who were influenced by French Impressionism. The group included other prominent Chilean composers such as Domingo Santa Cruz, Juan Orrego-Salas, and Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt. Leng's early works were influenced by this group, and he became known for his use of impressionistic harmonies and textures. In the 1930s, Leng traveled to Europe to study music. He studied with the French composer Nadia Boulanger in Paris and later with the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg in Los Angeles. These experiences had a profound impact on Leng's music, and he began to incorporate elements of atonality and serialism into his compositions. Leng's most famous work is his Symphony No. 1, which he composed in 1949. The symphony is a four-movement work that is characterized by its use of atonality and serialism. The work was premiered by the Chilean National Symphony Orchestra in 1950 and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. Leng's other notable works include his Piano Concerto, which he composed in 1953, and his String Quartet No. 1, which he composed in 1956. The Piano Concerto is a three-movement work that features virtuosic piano writing and a complex orchestral texture. The String Quartet No. 1 is a four-movement work that is characterized by its use of atonality and its exploration of different timbres and textures. Leng was also a prolific composer of vocal music. He composed several song cycles, including Canciones de la Primavera (Songs of Spring) and Canciones de la Tarde (Songs of the Afternoon). These works are characterized by their lyrical melodies and their use of impressionistic harmonies. In addition to his work as a composer, Leng was also a respected music educator. He taught at the National Conservatory of Music in Santiago and was a mentor to many young Chilean composers. He was also a founding member of the Chilean Society of Authors and Composers, which was established in 1942 to promote the rights of Chilean composers. Leng died on August 27, 1974, in Santiago, Chile. He is remembered as one of the most important Chilean composers of the 20th century. His music is characterized by its use of atonality and serialism, as well as its exploration of different timbres and textures. His work has had a lasting impact on the development of classical music in Chile and beyond.

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