ROMEO CASCARINO  

Romeo Cascarino, a virtually self-taught Philadelphia musician, was assisted by various awards and scholarships in his early career. He taught for many years at the Combs College of Music, responding to a number of commissions, but generally unwilling to promote his own work. He remained strongly dedicated to the principles of tonality and to beauty of orchestral colour.

Orchestral & Chamber Music

Written between 1948 and 1960, the ballet Pygmalion and The Portrait of Galatea are inspired by Greek mythology, while Prospice was inspired by Browning's poem of that name. The Acadian Land takes at its source Longfellow's imaginary paradise. Blades of Grass, for English horn, harp and strings, derives from Carl Sandburg's elegy Grass, and Cascarino's Meditation and Elegy are adolescent piano pieces inspired by Poe's Annabel Lee and later scored for strings.