Composers

He studied composition first at Messina and then at the  Conservatory of Milan. Editor of the new music periodical Il Diapason, he was also music critic of the daily newspaper L'Unità up to 1966, collaborator in Ricordi's Dictionary (later Encyclopedia) of Music, author of a guide to listening to symphonic music (Guida all'ascolto della musica sinfonica), translator of Adorno's The Philosophy of the New Music and of the principal theoretical texts of Schönberg (to whom he also dedicated a monograph). He has been teaching at Milan and Bologna Conservatories since 1962. In 1991 he was awarded the "Omaggio a M. Mila" prize for his didactic activity.

His principal compositions include theatrical works (Atomtod, 1965; Per Massimiliano Robespierre, 1975), vocal compositions with orchestra (Parole da Beckett, 1971; Hölderlin, 1972), orchestral works (Masse: omaggio a Edgard Varèse, 1977; Scene sinfoniche per il Doktor Faustus, 1984), chamber music (Quartetto for strings, 1971; Hölderlin: Epilogo, 1980; Opus 50, 1984; Dieci versi di Emily Dickinson, 1989).