He was inducted into the US Armed Forces and served in World War II, eventually settling in Valhalla, New York.
Thus, the available tones for a 21-tone row would include B-sharp, C, C-sharp, D-flat, D, D-sharp, E-flat, E, F-flat, E-sharp, F, F-sharp, G-flat, G, G-sharp, A-flat, A, A-sharp, B-flat, B, and C-flat.
His 2+4,+ calls for inside-the-piano playing as well as other techniques so avant-garde as to approach the theatrical, reminiscent of a John Cage "happening."
His most widely performed composition, Ave Maria, has been recorded by the duo of vocalist Mary Mancini and accordionist Mario Tacca.
A devout Roman Catholic,[citation needed] much of Santini's output is sacred in nature, often with Latin texts.