Massimo Di Gesu

Specialism:

Composition

Location:

Milano
Italy

Contact:

skrijabin@yahoo.com

Additional Info:

He is a composer whose style is marked by refined cultural reflection, and who is attentive to the symbols hidden in sound and musical syntax.
Quirino Principe (Il Sole 24 Ore)*

Massimo Di Gesu attained the diplomas in Piano and Composition at the Conservatory of Milan. He studied composition with Bruno Bettinelli, and piano with Jole Mantegazza, Anita Porrini (one of the favourite pupils of Cortot and Benedetti Michelangeli), and Valerio Premuroso.**

Di Gesu’s distinctive atonal idiom stems from an idea of musical discourse according to which a note has meaning if it is perceptible as necessary, i.e. gravitationally attracted to every other element of the musical syntax (P. Bradley-Fulgoni, 2024, Composer and performer, RAE, p. 153).*** This "principle of necessity" is at the core of his research both in music and poetry.****

His works have been performed in venues such as La Scala (Milan), La Fenice (Venice), Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall - New York), Salle Cortot (Paris), St. Martin in the Fields (London), Auditorium di Milano, University of Milan, Teatro Dal Verme (Milan), Richter Memorial Apartment (Moscow).

Among his artistic partners: La Scala String Quartet, Wiener Virtuosen [soloists from the Wiener Philharmoniker], Ensemble Strumentale Scaligero [soloists from La Scala Orchestra], Virtuosi Italiani, Arcturus (Opera North), Maurizio Simeoli, Andrea Favalessa, Maurizio Zanini, Barbara Costa, Roberto Miele, Mariangela Vacatello, Maria Semeraro, Peter Bradley-Fulgoni.

The collaboration with pianist Peter Bradley-Fulgoni gave rise to several works which, according to Renzo Cresti (“Musica presente”, 2019, p. 775), are among the most noteworthy expressions of his style: Dionisiaco (2016), FUlGidA, Das Eismeer (2018), Enigma, Rima Petrosa (2019).

Three poems by Di Gesu from Lapillaria (“Affioramento”, “Al giardino”, and “La vita è un sogno”), along with “25 Dicembre”, were published in the Journal of Italian Translation (Vol. XXI, No. 1, Spring 2026), edited by Luigi Bonaffini, Professor Emeritus at Brooklyn College, City University of New York.****
Two of the aforementioned poems have also been recited on radio by Maria Brivio and Federika Brivio.

Selected critical comments:

«... it is music that BREATHES».
Allan Atlas
(Distinguished Professor of Music Emeritus, The Graduate Center,
City University of New York)
on Lilith

«... it was a pleasure to play such inspired music»
Erich Schagerl
(violinist, Wiener Philharmoniker)
on Im Tempo eines Walzers

«The piece shows an impeccable sense of form, and a
rare insight into the idiomatic resources of the instrument for which it was composed.
At first, his musical thought could be traced back to
the expressionism of Schönberg and the mastery of Berg.
Actually, what is here perceptible is the mighty shadow of J. S. Bach».
Flavio Emilio Scogna
(composer, conductor)
on Gradus ad responsum for piano

«His work impressed the audience, even the youngest members of it, who are seldom used to “strong” music (which in this case, due to its emotional dramatic contrasts, was of the strongest).
I was particularly compelled by the middle movement, which is definitely
a manifestation of the artist’s craftsmanship and talent to fascinate».
Quirino Principe
(philosopher of music, poet)
review of the world premiere of Verdigo at La Scala – Il Sole 24 Ore

«A refined musician, Di Gesu has a versatile cultural spectrum.
His musical language has metabolised the most significant experiences of the 20th century, nurturing a masterful craft, which is the achievement of
a deep aesthetic vocation and rigorous research discipline».
La Scala String Quartet
(concertmaster and string section leaders of La Scala Theatre Orchestra)

«For a long time I have known and esteemed Maestro Massimo Di Gesu whom I consider musician of a high calibre and person of great cultural commitment».
Bruno Bettinelli
(composer)

«His piano music has a unique tonal language [...] and represents
a breath of fresh air in the doldrums of ‘contemporary music’ malaise».
Peter Bradley-Fulgoni
(pianist)
“The mystery of modern dissonance” - ARQ, Cambridge University Press

«The piece is very engaging, expressive and formally intriguing.
I also appreciate the inspiringly idiomatic instrumental writing:
in terms of performability and effectiveness, it seems a piece written by a guitarist.
Lapillus is an excellent achievement
and an important contribution to the guitar repertoire».
Andrea Dieci
(guitarist)

Massimo Di Gesu
Recordings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE8E4FAA93F2526E4
E-mail: skrijabin@yahoo.com

* https://massimodigesu.com/
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massimo_Di_Gesu
*** https://rae.arts.ro/filecase/filetypes/documents/archive/rae27/rae_2024_0018.pdf
**** https://www.academia.edu/170602293/Journal_of_Italian_Translation_Vol_XXI_No_1_Spring_2026

Specialisms

Contemporary Classical

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