Maderna and the Poets, 1938–48

Dal Molin, Paolo

2022-01-01

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Abstract

This chapter abandons the standard biographical approach that has tended to interpret the literary tastes of Maderna through the prism of his presumed psychological and emotional needs at the time (a desire for respite, evasion, rebirth etc.). Indeed, many of these presumed needs closely resemble the generic labels typical of literature handbooks. For this reason, I have sought, wherever possible, to analyse Maderna’s schoolworks, letters, early compositions and writings with reference to the contemporary cultural field, aiming to determine the positions and dispositions (and the circumstances) that presumably influenced the composer’s textual choices for his first vocal works (Gabriele D'Annunzio's "La Sera fiesolana", Vincenzo Cardarelli's "Alba", Paul Verlaine and the Greek Lyric Poets translated by Salvatore Quasimodo)