Semprini

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Alberto Fernanco Riccardo Semprini (born 1908, died January 19, 1990) was an English pianist, famous for appearances on the BBC, mainly on radio.

Born in Bath, England of Italian ancestry, Semprini showed early talent for both the piano and cello. He graduated from the Verdi Conservatory in Milan in 1928, having studied composition and conducting as well as honing his skills at the piano. His initial fame came from headlining a light music programme, Semprini Serenade, that first aired on BBC Radio in 1957 and continued for around 25 years. His surname was later immortalised as a fictional profanity in an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

He also wrote a number of original compositions on the lighter side of the musical repertoire, including Mediterranean Concerto, which he used as the theme tune for his radio show.