Pietro Yon
Encyclopedia
Pietro Alessandro Yon was an Italian
-born organist
who made his career in the United States
.
Yon was born in Settimo Vittone
, (Piedmont, Italy
), and studied at the conservatories of both Milan
and Turin
, also attending the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome
. He served for a time as an organist at the Vatican
and at the Royal Church in Rome before coming to the United States in 1907. He became an American citizen in 1921. From 1907 until 1926 he was the organist of St. Francis Xavier Church; in 1926 he became the organist of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
. He also toured the country giving recital
s. Yon was also a composer, most famous for his Humoresque "L'organo primitivo"- Toccatina for Flute, for organ, and his Christmas
piece Gesù bambino
. He also wrote many works for organ, piano, and orchestra, including a Concerto Gregoriano for organ and a concerto
for oboe
.
Yon died in Huntington, New York
in 1943. His pupils included Cole Porter
, Georges-Émile Tanguay
, Powell Weaver (Kansas City), Edgar Bowman (Pittsburgh), Robert Elmore (Philadelphia), Mary Downey (New York), Henry Seibert (New York), Eugene Phillips (Grand Rapids), Tracy Y. Cannon (Salt Lake City), Helen Knox Ferguson (Dallas), Helen Townsend (Buffalo), Franklin Coates (N.Y.City), Mrs. Dorothy Mulroney (Springfield, Mass.), Wilbur Chenowetch (Lincoln, Neb.), Allan Bucher (Peekskilt N. Y.), Edward Rivetti, assistant organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral, N. Y., and his godson Norman Dello Joio
.
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...
-born organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
who made his career in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Yon was born in Settimo Vittone
Settimo Vittone
Settimo Vittone is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km north of Turin, in the Canavese traditional region.-Main sights:...
, (Piedmont, Italy
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...
), and studied at the conservatories of both Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, also attending the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He served for a time as an organist at the Vatican
Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
and at the Royal Church in Rome before coming to the United States in 1907. He became an American citizen in 1921. From 1907 until 1926 he was the organist of St. Francis Xavier Church; in 1926 he became the organist of St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York
The Cathedral of St. Patrick is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States...
. He also toured the country giving recital
Recital
A recital is a musical performance. It can highlight a single performer, sometimes accompanied by piano, or a performance of the works of a single composer.The invention of the solo piano recital has been attributed to Franz Liszt....
s. Yon was also a composer, most famous for his Humoresque "L'organo primitivo"- Toccatina for Flute, for organ, and his Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
piece Gesù bambino
Gesu Bambino
"Gesu Bambino" is an Italian Christmas carol composed by Pietro Yon in 1917. It was translated to English by Frederick H. Martens. It is interesting to note that the traditional Christmas song I Saw Three Ships derives its melody from "Gesu Bambino," though the former is a simpler version of the tune...
. He also wrote many works for organ, piano, and orchestra, including a Concerto Gregoriano for organ and a concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
for oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
.
Yon died in Huntington, New York
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
in 1943. His pupils included Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
, Georges-Émile Tanguay
Georges-Émile Tanguay
Georges-Émile Tanguay was a Canadian composer, organist, pianist, and music educator. An associate of the Canadian Music Centre, his compositional output is relatively small; consisting of 4 orchestral works, 4 chamber music pieces, 9 works for solo piano, 2 works for solo organ, and 4 choral works...
, Powell Weaver (Kansas City), Edgar Bowman (Pittsburgh), Robert Elmore (Philadelphia), Mary Downey (New York), Henry Seibert (New York), Eugene Phillips (Grand Rapids), Tracy Y. Cannon (Salt Lake City), Helen Knox Ferguson (Dallas), Helen Townsend (Buffalo), Franklin Coates (N.Y.City), Mrs. Dorothy Mulroney (Springfield, Mass.), Wilbur Chenowetch (Lincoln, Neb.), Allan Bucher (Peekskilt N. Y.), Edward Rivetti, assistant organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral, N. Y., and his godson Norman Dello Joio
Norman Dello Joio
- Life :He was born Nicodemo DeGioio in New York City to Italian immigrants. He began his musical career as organist and choir director at the Star of the Sea Church on City Island in New York at age 14. His father was an organist, pianist, and vocal coach and coached many opera stars from the...
.
External links
- YouTube Diane Bish plays the Humoresque "L'organo primitivo"- Toccatina for Flute on the organ of the Cadet Chapel, West Point Military Academy, New York.