Nino Pirrotta

Nino Pirrotta (13 June 1908 in Palermo – 22 January 1998 in Palermo) was an Italian musicologist, pianist, music critic, and academic. As a musicologist, he achieved international renown for his scholarship of Italian music from the late medieval, Renaissance and early Baroque eras.

Early life and education Born Antonino Pirrotta in Palermo, Pirotta was the son of Vincenzo Pirotta and Adele Pirrotta (née Restivo). His father owned a tinplate lithography factory.

In 1948 Pirrotta left his position as librarian and professor at the Palermo Conservatory to become the music librarian of both the Rome Conservatory and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; a position he maintained until 1956. His post at these institutions allowed him access to original documents that furthered his work publishing as a musicologist. In 1954 he became a visiting professor at Princeton University. He joined the faculty of Harvard University in 1956 where he held the posts of both the Naumburg Professor of Music and Chief Music Librarian. He served as head of the music department from 1965 to 1968, after which he continued to teach at Harvard through 1972. From 1972 until his retirement in 1983 (with the exception of 1979 when he was once again at Harvard), he taught at the University of Rome as the chair of musicology. He died in 1998 at the age of 89.

Selected bibliography