Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

March 15, 1928 in New York City, NY

Death

:

March 16, 1994 in New Rochelle, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Nicolas Flagello was an American composer and conductor who was born on March 15, 1928, in New York City. He was the youngest of three children born to Italian immigrants, and his parents were both musicians. His father, Ezio Flagello, was a bass singer with the Metropolitan Opera, and his mother, Louise, was a pianist and composer. Flagello showed an early interest in music and began studying piano with his mother at the age of four. He later studied composition with Vittorio Giannini at the Manhattan School of Music and with Norman Dello Joio at the Juilliard School. He also studied conducting with Fritz Reiner and Leonard Bernstein. Flagello's early compositions were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith, but he later developed a more personal style that was characterized by lush harmonies and a romantic sensibility. His music was often compared to that of Samuel Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti. Flagello's first major work was his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1957. The symphony was well-received and established Flagello as a promising young composer. He went on to write eight more symphonies, as well as numerous other orchestral works, chamber music, and vocal music. One of Flagello's most famous works is his Piano Concerto No. 1, which was premiered by the pianist Earl Wild and the New York Philharmonic in 1960. The concerto is a virtuosic showcase for the soloist and features a memorable second movement that is based on a theme from Flagello's opera, The Passion of Martin Luther King. Flagello was also a prolific composer of vocal music, including operas, cantatas, and choral works. His most famous opera is The Judgment of St. Francis, which was premiered by the New York City Opera in 1972. The opera tells the story of St. Francis of Assisi and his struggle to reconcile his spiritual beliefs with the corruption and violence of the world around him. In addition to his work as a composer, Flagello was also a respected conductor. He served as the music director of the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra from 1968 to 1976 and conducted many other orchestras throughout his career. Flagello's music was highly regarded by his contemporaries, but he struggled to gain wider recognition during his lifetime. He was often overshadowed by more avant-garde composers who were popular in the 1960s and 1970s. However, his music has since been rediscovered and is now recognized as an important contribution to the American classical music tradition. Flagello died on March 16, 1994, in New Rochelle, New York, at the age of 66. He left behind a legacy of beautiful and emotionally powerful music that continues to inspire and move audiences today.

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