Piero Piccioni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Piero Piccioni
Born	December 6, 1921 Turin, Kingdom of Italy
Died	July 23, 2004 (aged 82) Rome, Italy

Piero Piccioni (born December 6, 1921 – died July 23, 2004) was a talented Italian composer who created music for movies. He was also a lawyer!

Piero was a skilled pianist, organist, and conductor. He wrote over 300 film soundtracks during his career. He first played on the radio in 1938 with his band, the “013” Big Band. After Italy was freed in 1944, his band was the first Italian jazz band to be broadcast on radio.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Piero Piccioni was born in Turin, a city in Piedmont, Italy. For a while, he used the name Piero Morgan, which came from his mother's family name, Marengo.

When Piero was young, his father, Attilio Piccioni, often took him to listen to concerts at the EIAR Radio Studios in Florence. His father was an important person in the Italian government after World War II. Piero loved jazz music from a young age, especially artists like Art Tatum and Charlie Parker. He also studied music at the Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini, which helped him become a professional musician.

A Career in Film Music

Piero Piccioni first played on the radio with his "013" Big Band when he was just 17 years old, in 1938. After Italy was freed in 1944, his band was the first Italian jazz band to be heard on the radio.

Piero was inspired by jazz music and by American films. He admired famous directors like Frank Capra and Alfred Hitchcock, and film composers like Alex North. He started writing his own songs, and soon some of his music was published.

In the 1950s, Piero started working in the movie world in Rome. At first, he was a lawyer who helped movie producers, like those from Titanus and De Laurentiis, with legal matters. One day, director Michelangelo Antonioni asked Piero to create music for a documentary film. Piero's first music for a full-length movie was for Il mondo le condanna in 1952. After that, he decided to become a full-time composer and conductor for films. He worked closely with directors like Francesco Rosi and Alberto Sordi, becoming good friends with them.

Many famous directors wanted Piero Piccioni to compose music for their films. Some of these included Francesco Rosi, Mario Monicelli, Luchino Visconti, Vittorio De Sica, and Lina Wertmuller.

Piero created music for over 300 films. Some of his well-known film scores include Il bell'Antonio, Contempt, The 10th Victim, and Swept Away. He also composed music for radio, television, ballets, and orchestras. He often worked with singers like Shawn Robinson and Lydia MacDonald.

Awards and Lasting Influence

Piero Piccioni won many important awards for his music. These include the David di Donatello Award for the movie Swept Away in 1975, and the Nastro d’argento Award for Salvatore Giuliano in 1963. He also received the Prix International Lumière in 1991, the Anna Magnani Award in 1975, and the Vittorio De Sica Award in 1979.

His song "Traffic Boom" was used in a fictional movie called Logjammin' within the film The Big Lebowski. Another one of his songs, "It's Possible," was used by Hollywood JB in DJ Khaled's song "Jermaine's Interlude."

Today, Piero Piccioni's music is very popular online. Many of his songs are put into playlists on YouTube, and his music is often used by the lo-fi community, who enjoy calm, relaxed music.

Later Years and Passing

Piero Piccioni passed away in Rome on July 23, 2004, at the age of 82.

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  Piero Piccioni

See also

In Spanish: Piero Piccioni para niños