Mario Cordone

Mario Cordone was born on 17 April 1895 in Cortona (Italy). He studied at the Milan conservatory under Giulio Cesare Paribeni (conducting) and Giacomo Orefice (composition) and completed in 1922. After his studies Mario Cordone started an international career as an opera conductor. During his career he performed with icons like Tito Schipa, Beniamino Gigli, Ettore Bastianini, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Aureliano Pertile, Gre Brouwenstijn or Alfredo Kraus and conducted the Orchestra della Scala di Milano, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid, Orchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks or the Orkest van de Nederlandse Opera. Many of these performances were recorded and are still available today.

Beside his activities as a conductor Mario Cordone also worked as a singing tutor. Both Carol Smith (1926-2021) and Shirlee Emmons (1923-2010) mention him as their teacher in Milan during the 1950s.

Mario Cordone died in Cortona (Italy) in 1973.

Curiously and in contrast to his important career there is no more biographical information about Mario Cordone. But it is known that he also composed some music, mainly in his younger days. In addition to the two autographs in my possession Mario Cordone composed at least also three orchestral works (Pisanella, Notturno and Umoresca), all in 1922.

In my possession are two autograph manuscripts by Mario Cordone:

1) Violin sonata

The Violin sonata in G minor was composed in 1916, that means as a student during his time at the Milan conservatory. The work received a second prize in the composition competition of the Federazione Lombarda dei Professionisti di Musica in 1921.

2) Trio for violin, cello and piano

The Piano trio in D minor was composed in 1920 at the end of his studies in Milan. A performance took place in early June 1921 at the Milan conservatory.