LUIGI NONO’S IL CANTO SOSPESO – A MODERN REPRESENTATION OF SACRIFICE

Abstract

In this article, we will explore Luigi Nono’s Il Canto Sospeso as a modern representation of sacrifice, structured within the framework of total serialism. The piece highlights its textual foundation, which plays a central role in conveying the ideological message of the composition. The text is taken from Lettere di condannati a morte della Resistenza europea (1954), a collection of letters written by those sentenced to death during the European Resistance. The work is divided into four literary sections, each representing a transformation of the concepts of death and sacrifice: literary, realist, transitional, and compassionate. Through its serialist technique, Nono adapts the thematic elements of the text to the rigid and fearful context of the 20th century. The music not only enhances the text’s meaning but also provides a modern and emotional interpretation of sacrifice, focusing on its psychological and personal impact rather than a historical narrative.