Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI(October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition Sinfonia and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled Sequenza) and also for his pioneering work in electronic music.
Berio was born in Oneglia (now part of Imperia). He was taught the piano by his father and grandfather who were both organists. During World War II he was conscripted into the army, but on his first day he injured his hand while learning how a gun worked, and spent time in a military hospital. Following the war, Berio studied at the Milan Conservatory under Giulio Cesare Paribeni and Giorgio Federico Ghedini. He was unable to continue studying the piano because of his injured hand, so instead concentrated on composition. In 1947 came the first public performance of one of his works, a suite for piano. Berio made a living at this time accompanying singing classes, and it was in doing this that he met the American mezzo-soprano Cathy Berberian, whom he married shortly after graduating (they divorced in 1964). Berio wrote a number of pieces which exploit her distinctive voice.
Je me sens, dans tes bras, si petite
Si petite, aupr?s de toi
Que tu peux, quand mon coeur bat trop vite
Le briser entre tes doigts
Quand tu vois qu'une peine m'agite
Tu me berces, doucement
Je me fais, dans tes bras, si petite
Si petite
? mon amant !
Je suis venue un beau jour, dans ta vie
Tout simplement
Et tu fis na?tre en mon ?me ravie
L'enchantement
Ce que tu veux, je le fais, sans contrainte
Sans murmurer
Car je ne puis, toujours, sous ton ?treinte
Que t'adorer !
J'ai beau savoir, mon tr?sor, que tu m'aimes
De tout ton coeur
Il est des soirs o? je doute quand m?me
O? j'ai bien peur
Je crains toujours qu'un autre amour t'emporte
Et sans tarder
Je me dis tout bas: “Serai-je assez forte