Composer Norman Dello Joio dies at 95

[RebLem]

Noted composer Dello Joio dead at 95

Published: July 27, 2008 at 4:26 PM   ||   UPI.com

NEW YORK, July 27 (UPI) -- Norman Dello Joio, whose tonal compositions earned him many fans, has died in the town of East Hampton, N.Y., at the age of 95, a publisher says.

Publisher Carl Fischer Music said Dello Joio gained fame from his unique lyrical creations, which he created based on his viewpoint that accepted patterns in music should be challenged, The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported Sunday.

"If it's valid, and it's good, put it down in your mind. Don't say, 'I have to do this because the system tells me to.' No, that's a mistake," Dello Joio once said on his Web site.

Among Dello Joio's operatic works was "The Triumph of St. Joan," which revisited one of the composer's favorite subjects: the French military figure Joan of Arc.

"Daily, for ages, she has challenged men to have her courage," Dello Joio wrote in a 1956 Times article regarding the historical figure.

The Times said Dello Joio, who died Thursday of unspecified causes, is survived by his wife, Barbara Bolton; three children, two stepchildren and three grandchildren.

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2008/07/27/Noted_composer_Dello_Joio_dead_at_95/UPI-80201217190377/

[springrite]

While I have only one CD of his music, I have heard and enjoyed many of his works as well as some very enlightening writing. Among the composers and musicians I know, Norman Dello Joio is one that everybody liked, even though they hold differing views on the value of his musical output.

Rest in Peace

[Szykneij]

Coincidentally, one of the ensembles at the string camp where I taugh this summer played an air by Dello Joio at the final concert that was gorgeous. I had already planned to investigate him more. Rest in peace.

[Iago]

IMO, Dello Joio's greatest work was for the soundtrack of the CBS series "Air Power".
Richly orchestrated, tonal, patrioticly themed and simply ravishingly gorgeous.
On the actual telecasts the music was played by Alfredo Antonini conducting the CBS Orchestra. But a subsequent recording of the score was made by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. This music rivals that of Richard Rodgers in "Victory at Sea", and is unjustly ignored by orchestras everywhere.

[Dundonnell]

Sad news indeed!

Regretably, I missed Dello Joio from a list I compiled some time ago on this site of living composers

There are a few Dello Joio pieces in my collection-

'The Triumph of Saint Joan" Symphony
Variations, Chaconne and Finale
Meditations on Ecclesiastes
Homage to Haydn

He was a fine composer of rich, tuneful, lyrical music. A pupil of Hindemith, Dello Joio spent six years in the 1970s as Dean of Arts at Boston University and was a distinguished educator. He was also one of those American composers of Italian origin who changed their names(Dello Joio from Nicodemo DeGoio, Mennin from Peter Mennini, and Paul Creston from Giuseppe Guttoveggio).

Apart from the amazing Elliott Carter, there can be very few representatives of that particular generation of American composers left now. Robert Ward(91), Benjamin Lees(84) and Ned Rorem(84) spring to mind of those who adhered to more traditional models.

(Would this thread sit more comfortably in the Composer Discussion Forum? Just an idea.)

[gomro]

IMO, Dello Joio's greatest work was for the soundtrack of the CBS series "Air Power".
Richly orchestrated, tonal, patrioticly themed and simply ravishingly gorgeous.
On the actual telecasts the music was played by Alfredo Antonini conducting the CBS Orchestra. But a subsequent recording of the score was made by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. This music rivals that of Richard Rodgers in "Victory at Sea", and is unjustly ignored by orchestras everywhere.

This is the only piece by Dello Joio that I have on CD, and it's a great bit of work.  It may have been created as a soundtrack, but without the film it makes an excellent orchestral suite. It's coupled with a Morton Gould piece -- soundtrack suite from Holocaust -- which isn't nearly as impressive, imho.

[Lilas Pastia]

I think it's Stravinsky who quipped about Dello Jello's music... I'd need to search a bit, to back this up. But since I neverd heard any of his music, I'll try to correct that first.

[jochanaan]

He will definitely be missed.  I heard him in the 1970s in Sioux City, Iowa, leading a concert of his own music; both the music and the performance were very, very fine.  May he walk in beauty.

[Brian]

To mark his death, thought I'd share a tiny piece of his, the four-minute Suite for Piano. Pianist Debra Torok, from this album.