Sergio Fiorentino
Encyclopedia
Sergio Fiorentino was a 20th-century Italian
classical pianist
whose sporadic performing career spanned five decades.
and studied at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella in Naples under Luigi Finizio and Paolo Denza, earned his diploma in 1946 and attended a master class of Carlo Zecchi
in Salzburg
in 1948.
He debuted at New York's Carnegie Recital Hall in 1953. The next year, however, while on tour in Argentina and Uruguay, he suffered a near-fatal plane accident, forcing him to cut back on concertizing. This led to him becoming a teacher at the Naples conservatory where he had once been a student.
In the late 1950s he made a new start in concertizing, both in his native country and in England. Most of his recordings were made during those years (1958–1965). But again, he withdrew from the concert stage, limiting his rare public appearances to his native country, and again started to regularly teach master classes.
After leaving the Naples conservatory in 1993, he again began to play more in public outside his native Italy and performed in Germany
, France
, Taiwan
, and the USA. Negotiated and contracted engagements in Russia
and Canada
could not be fulfilled due to his sudden death in his home in Naples on August 22, 1998.
. Subsequently, a CD of mazurkas by Fiorentino
produced by Concert Artists (CACD9002-2) has been found to
contain plagiarised tracks from three other performers.
Some of Fiorentino's recordings made during the late fifties and early sixties were issued after the original label's (Saga) failure under pseudonyms by the new owner (Marcel Rodd). The most frequently used pseudonym was "Paul Procopolis
".
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
classical pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
whose sporadic performing career spanned five decades.
Music career
Fiorentino was born in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and studied at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella in Naples under Luigi Finizio and Paolo Denza, earned his diploma in 1946 and attended a master class of Carlo Zecchi
Carlo Zecchi
Carlo Zecchi was an Italian pianist, music teacher and conductor.Zecchi was born in Rome. He led pianistic courses in Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome, and in Salzburg. Highly acclaimed performer of Domenico Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy works, and of Romantic...
in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
in 1948.
He debuted at New York's Carnegie Recital Hall in 1953. The next year, however, while on tour in Argentina and Uruguay, he suffered a near-fatal plane accident, forcing him to cut back on concertizing. This led to him becoming a teacher at the Naples conservatory where he had once been a student.
In the late 1950s he made a new start in concertizing, both in his native country and in England. Most of his recordings were made during those years (1958–1965). But again, he withdrew from the concert stage, limiting his rare public appearances to his native country, and again started to regularly teach master classes.
After leaving the Naples conservatory in 1993, he again began to play more in public outside his native Italy and performed in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and the USA. Negotiated and contracted engagements in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
could not be fulfilled due to his sudden death in his home in Naples on August 22, 1998.
Fraud with Concert Artists label
Beginning in 1994 through after his death in 1998, a large number of recordings by Fiorentino were released. Recordings made in Berlin from 1994 to 1997 were released on APR whereas earlier unissued material was put out by the Concert Artists label. In February 2007, Concert Artists admitted to falsely attributing music recorded by the late Joyce HattoJoyce Hatto
Joyce Hatto was a British pianist and piano teacher. She became famous late in life, when unauthorised copies of commercial recordings made by other pianists were released under her name, earning her high praise from critics. The fraud did not come to light until a few months after her...
. Subsequently, a CD of mazurkas by Fiorentino
produced by Concert Artists (CACD9002-2) has been found to
contain plagiarised tracks from three other performers.
Some of Fiorentino's recordings made during the late fifties and early sixties were issued after the original label's (Saga) failure under pseudonyms by the new owner (Marcel Rodd). The most frequently used pseudonym was "Paul Procopolis
Paul Procopolis
Paul Procopolis is the name given to a non-existent classical pianist who was credited as a performer on various recordings.With the advent of cheap long-playing records, unscrupulous companies issued records of material under pseudonyms to avoid paying royalties or because they did not own the...
".
External links
- Short biography on the Bach-Cantatas.com website
- Biography on site of Concert Artist/Fidelio Recordings (site closed down after the Hatto hoax had become known)
- Discography, Reviews, Pictures at The Sergio Fiorentino Pages