View source for Mario Davidovsky

{{Short description|Argentine-American composer (1934–2019)}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Mario Davidovsky
| image       = 
| alt         = 
| caption     = 
| birth_name  = 
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1934|3|4}}
| birth_place =  [[Médanos, Buenos Aires|Médanos]], [[Buenos Aires Province]], [[Argentina]]
| death_date  =  {{Death date and age|2019|8|23|1934|3|4}}
| death_place = [[New York City]]
| occupation  = Composer
| education   = 
| alma_mater  = 
| known_for   = 
| awards      = [[Pulitzer Prize for Music]] (1971)
| notable_works = ''[[Synchronisms (Davidovsky)|Synchronisms]]''
| spouse      = 
| partner     = 
| URL         = 
}}
'''Mario Davidovsky''' (March 4, 1934 – August 23, 2019)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/new-york-ny/mario-davidovsky-8831347 |title=Mario Davidovsky Obituary|website=Dignity Memorial|access-date=2019-08-24}}</ref> was an Argentine-American [[composer]]. Born in Argentina, he emigrated in 1960 to the United States, where he lived for the remainder of his life. He is best known for his series of compositions called ''[[Synchronisms (Davidovsky)|Synchronisms]]'', which in live performance incorporate both acoustic instruments and [[Electroacoustic music|electroacoustic sounds]] played from a tape.

==Biography==
Davidovsky was born in [[Médanos, Buenos Aires|Médanos]], [[Buenos Aires Province]], Argentina, a town nearly 600&nbsp;km southwest of the city of Buenos Aires and close to the seaport of [[Bahía Blanca]]. Aged seven, he began his musical studies on the violin. At thirteen he began composing. He studied composition and theory under {{ill|Guillermo Graetzer|es}} at the [[University of Buenos Aires]], from which he graduated.

In 1958, he studied with [[Aaron Copland]] and [[Milton Babbitt]] at the Berkshire Music Center (now the [[Tanglewood Music Center]]) in Lenox, Massachusetts. Through Babbitt, who worked at the [[Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center]], and others, Davidovsky developed an interest in electroacoustic music. Copland encouraged Davidovsky to emigrate to the United States, and in 1960, Davidovsky settled in New York City, where he was appointed associate director of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. It was at that time he began to compose electo-acoustic works called ''[[Synchronisms (Davidovsky)|Synchronisms]]''.

Most of his published compositions since the 1970s have been nonelectronic. His only published electroacoustic compositions since that time are ''Synchronisms No. 9'' (1988) and ''Synchronisms No. 10'' (1992). However, Davidovsky received a commission by a group led by the [[Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States]] (SEAMUS) to compose two more electroacoustic works in the ''Synchronisms'' series. No. 11 and No. 12 premiered in 2007 at the SEAMUS National Conference in [[Ames, Iowa]].

Davidovsky's association with the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center continued, and from 1981 to 1993 he was the lab's director as well as professor of music at Columbia.<ref name="CNM">{{cite web|url=http://www.collagenewmusic.org/davidovsky.html |title=Mario Davidovsky biography at Collage New Music, Boston |access-date=2006-11-21 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725185712/http://www.collagenewmusic.org/davidovsky.html |archive-date=July 25, 2011 }}</ref> In 1994 he became professor of music at [[Harvard]].<ref name="CNM"/> During his career, Davidovsky has also taught at many other institutions: [[University of Michigan]] (1964), the Di Tella Institute of Buenos Aires (1965), the [[Manhattan School of Music]] (1968–69), [[Yale University]] (1969–70), and the [[City College of New York]] (1968–80).<ref name="CNM"/>

He served on the composition faculty of [[Mannes College The New School for Music]].<ref name="mannes">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newschool.edu/mannes/facultyCollege.aspx?mid=69418|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106090019/http://www.newschool.edu/mannes/facultyCollege.aspx?mid=69418|url-status=dead|title=Mario Davidovsky faculty profile at Mannes College The New School for Music|archive-date=January 6, 2012|access-date=August 24, 2019}}</ref>

In 1982, Davidovsky was elected a member of the [[American Academy of Arts and Letters]].<ref>[http://www.artsandletters.org/academicians2_current.php List of academicians at the American Academy of Arts and Letters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624004136/http://www.artsandletters.org/academicians2_current.php |date=2016-06-24 }}. "Mario Davidovsky – Music – 1982"</ref>

== Personal life ==
Davidovsky married Elaine Blaustein in 1962; she died in 2017. They had two children, and three grandchildren. He died in [[New York City]] on August 23, 2019, at the age of 85.<ref name="NYT obit">{{cite web |last1=da Fonseca-Wollheim |first1=Corinna |title=Mario Davidovsky, Composer Who Made Electronics Sing, Dies at 85 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/arts/music/mario-davidovsky-dead.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=27 October 2022 |date=28 August 2019}}</ref>

==Awards==
*The American Academy of Arts and Letters' Academy Award (1965)
*[[Pulitzer Prize]] (1971)
*Brandeis University Creative Arts Award
*Aaron Copland-Tanglewood Award
*[[SEAMUS Lifetime Achievement Award]] (1989)
*[[Walter W. Naumburg Foundation|Naumburg Award]]
*Peggy Guggenheim Award (1982)
*Barlow Endowment for Music Composition – Commission (2003)

==Fellowships==
*Koussevitzky fellowship (1958)
*[[Rockefeller Foundation|Rockefeller fellowships]] (1963,1964)
*Guggenheim fellowships (1960,1971)
*Williams Foundation Fellowship
*Walter Channing Cabot Fellowship

==Works==
{{Div col}}
*String Quartet No. 1 (1951)
*Concertino for Percussion and String Orchestra (1954)
*Quintet for Clarinet and Strings (1955)
*Suite Sinfonica Para "El Payaso" (1955), orchestra
*Three Pieces for Woodwind Quartet (1956)
*Noneti for Nine Instruments (1956)
*String Quartet No. 2 (1958)
*Serie Sinfonica 1959 (1959), orchestra
*Contrastes No. 1 (1960), string orchestra and electronic sounds
*Electronic Study No. 1 (1961) ''[[Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center (album)|Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center]]''
*Piano 1961 (1961), orchestra
*Electronic Study No. 2 (1962)
*Synchronisms No. 1 (1962), flute and electronic sound
*Trio for Clarinet, Trumpet, and Viola (1962)
*Synchronisms No. 2 (1964), flute, clarinet, violin, cello and tape
*Synchronisms No. 3 (1964), cello and electronic sound
*Electronic Study No. 3 (1965)
*Inflexions (1965), chamber ensemble
*Junctures (1966), flute, clarinet, and violin
*Synchronisms No. 4 (1966), chorus and tape
*Music for Solo Violin (1968)
*Synchronisms No. 5 (1969), percussion players and tape
*[[Synchronisms No. 6]] (1970), piano and electronic sound (won 1971 Pulitzer Prize)
*Chacona (1971), violin, cello, and piano
*Transientes (1972), orchestra
*Ludus 2 (1973), flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano
*Synchronisms No. 7 (1974), orchestra and tape
*Synchronisms No. 8 (1974), woodwind quintet and tape
*Scenes from Shir ha-Shirim (1975), soprano, two tenors, bass soli and chamber ensemble
*String Quartet No. 3 (1976)
*Pennplay (1979), sixteen players
*Consorts (1980), symphonic band
*String Quartet No. 4 (1980)
*String Trio (1982), violin, viola, violoncello
*Romancero (1983), soprano, flute (piccolo, alto flute), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin and violoncello
*Divertimento (1984), cello and orchestra
*Capriccio (1985), two pianos
*Salvos (1986), flute (piccolo, alto flute), clarinet, harp, percussion, violin and cello
*Quartetto (1987), flute, violin, viola and violoncello
*Synchronisms No. 9 (1988), violin and tape
*Biblical Songs (1990), soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
*Concertante (1990), string quartet and orchestra
*Simple Dances (1991–2001), flute (piccolo, alto flute), two percussion, piano, and cello
*Synchronisms No. 10 (1992), guitar and electronic sounds
*Shulamit's Dream (1993), soprano and orchestra
*Festino (1994), guitar, viola, violoncello, contrabass
*Concertino (1995), violin and chamber orchestra
*Flashbacks (1995), flute (piccolo and alto flute), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin violoncello, piano and percussion
*Quartetto No. 2 (1996), oboe, violin, viola, violoncello
*String Quartet No. 5 (1998)
*Quartetto No. 3 (2000), piano, violin, viola, and violoncello
*Cantione Sine Textu (2001), soprano and chamber ensemble
*RecitAndy (2001), cello
*Duo Capriccioso (2003), piano and violin
*Sefarad: Four Spanish-[[Ladino language|Ladino]] Folkscenes (2004), baritone voice, flute (piccolo, alto flute), clarinet (bass clarinet), percussion, violin and cello
*Quartetto No. 4 (2005), clarinet, violin, viola and cello
*Synchronisms No. 11 (2005), contrabass and tape
*Synchronisms No. 12 (2006), clarinet and tape
*Piano Septet (2007)
*Divertimento for 8 ‘Ambiguous Symmetries’ (2015), flute, clarinet, percussion, violin, viola, cello, bass, piano<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.as-coa.org/events/international-contemporary-ensemble-mario-davidovsky|title=International Contemporary Ensemble: Mario Davidovsky|website=AS/COA|date=13 March 2015 |access-date=Aug 24, 2019}}</ref>
*String Quartet No. 6 ("Fragments")(2016)
{{Div col end}}

==Discography==
*''Works by Martin Brody, Mario Davidovsky, Miriam Gideon, Rand Steiger, Chinary Ung'', New World Records, New World 80412–2. Release date: December 8, 1992.
**''Synchronisms No. 6''; Fred Bronstein, Piano.
*''Korf: Symphony No.2/Davidovsky: Divertimento/Wright: Night Scenes'', New World Records, New World 80383–2. Release date: December 8, 1992.
**''Divertimento''; [[Fred Sherry]], cello; [[Riverside Symphony]], George Rothman conducting.
*''Flashbacks: Music by Mario Davidovsky'', [[Bridge Records]], Bridge 9097. Release date: June 27, 2000.
**''Flashbacks''; The New York New Music Ensemble.
**''Festino''; Speculum Musicae.
**''Romancero''; Susan Narucki, soprano; Speculum Musicae.
**''Quartetto No. 2''; Peggy Pearson, oboe; Bayla Keyes, violin; [[Mary Ruth Ray]], viola; Rhonda Rider, violoncello.
**''Synchronisms No. 10''; [[David Starobin]], guitar.
**''String Trio''; Speculum Musicae.
*''Mario Davidovsky: 3 Cycles on Biblical Texts''; Susan Narucki, soprano; Riverside Symphony, George Rothman conducting; Bridge Records, Bridge 1112. Release Date: July 30, 2002.
**''Shulamit's Dream''.
**''Scenes from Shir ha-Shirim''.
**''Biblical Songs''.
*''Harvard Composers'', Mendelssohn String Quartet, BIS Records, BIS-SACD-1264. Release date: September 9, 2003.
**''String Quartet No. 5''.
*''Salvos: Chamber Music of Mario Davidovsky'', Empyrean Ensemble; Susan Narucki, soprano. Arabesque Records, Arabesque Z6777. Release date: January 6, 2004.
**''Simple Dances''.
**''Cantione Sine Textu''.
**''Quartetto''.
**''Salvos''.
**''String Trio''.
*''The Music of Mario Davidovsky, Vol. 3'', Bridge Records, Bridge 9171. Release date: September 1, 2005.
**''Synchronisms No. 5''; The Manhattan School of Music Percussion Ensemble, [[Jeffrey Milarsky]], conductor.
**''Synchronisms No. 6'' Aleck Karis, piano.
**''Synchronisms No. 9''; Curtis Macomber, violin.
**''Chacona''; Curtis Macomber, violin; Eric Bartlett, cello; Aleck Karis, piano.
**''Quartetto''; Susan Palma Nidel, flute; Curtis Macomber, violin; Maureen Gallagher, viola; Eric Bartlett, violoncello.
**''Duo Capriccioso''; Curtis Macomber, violin; Aleck Karis, piano.

==Notable students==
{{For LMST|Mario|Davidovsky}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Cole Gagne and Tracy Caras, ''Soundpieces: Interviews with American Composers'', Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1982.
*[https://www.ericchasalow.com/blog/strongmario-davidovsky-an-introduction-strong "Mario Davidovsky: An Introduction"] by [[Eric Chasalow]], ''[[AGNI (magazine)|AGNI]]'' 50 – via ericchasalow.com
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040907040620/http://georgecrumb.net/future.html "Music: Does it Have a Future?"] by [[George Crumb]], a slightly revised article, originally appearing in ''[[The Kenyon Review]]'', Summer 1980.
*[[Charles Wuorinen]], "Mario Davidovsky: Contrastes No. 1", ''[[Perspectives of New Music]]'', vol. 4, no. 2 (Spring–Summer 1966), 144–149.
*Liner notes to discs Bridge 9097 and Bridge 9112 (see Discography)
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415082330/http://emfinstitute.emf.org/articles/gluck.davidovsky_05.html |date=April 15, 2012 |title=Interview|publisher=[[EMF Institute]]}}, by [[Robert Gluck|Bob Gluck]] on September 24, 2005.

==External links==
{{Archival records|title=Mario Davidovsky papers|location=Music Division, [[Library of Congress]]|description_URL=https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu022032}}
*[https://www.ubu.com/sound/davidovsky.html "Electronic Study No. 3, In Memoriam Edgar Varèse"], [[Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center]], recording, from ''Aspen'', no. 4, The McLuhan issue; via [[UbuWeb]]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20051022093646/http://artofthestates.org/cgi-bin/composer.pl?comp=17 Art of the States: Mario Davidovsky]}} – [[RealAudio]] streams of three works by the composer
*Performance on 2006-10-22 by Lynn Kuo of Synchronisms No. 9: {{YouTube|wdtMlOd0c_w|Part 1}}, {{YouTube|7yIWJPmFW14|Part 2}}.
*{{NewMusicBox|id=mario-davidovsky-a-long-way-from-home|title=Mario Davidovsky: A Long Way from Home|composer=Mario Davidovsky|author=[[Frank J. Oteri]]|conducted=February 15, 2006|published=November 1, 2006|ref=none}} (includes video)

{{PulitzerPrize Music 1971–1980}}
{{SEAMUS Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Classical music}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davidovsky, Mario}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:American contemporary classical composers]]
[[Category:Argentine classical composers]]
[[Category:American male classical composers]]
[[Category:Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters]]
[[Category:Pulitzer Prize for Music winners]]
[[Category:Jewish Argentine musicians]]
[[Category:Jewish classical musicians]]
[[Category:Argentine people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Argentine emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Harvard University faculty]]
[[Category:Manhattan School of Music faculty]]
[[Category:University of Michigan faculty]]
[[Category:Pupils of Aaron Copland]]
[[Category:Pupils of Milton Babbitt]]
[[Category:Musicians from Buenos Aires Province]]
[[Category:20th-century Argentine artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American composers]]
[[Category:20th-century classical composers]]
[[Category:21st-century classical composers]]
[[Category:Mannes College The New School for Music faculty]]
[[Category:20th-century American composers]]
[[Category:University of Buenos Aires alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American male composers]]