Ferruccio Busoni; Alfredo Casella; Giuseppe Martucci - Orchestral Works (Riccardo Muti)

Information

Composer: Ferruccio Busoni; Alfredo Casella; Giuseppe Martucci

• (01-04) Casella - Paganiniana, Op. 65
• (05) Martucci - Notturno, Op. 70 No. 1
• (06) Martucci - Novelletta, Op. 82
• (07) Martucci - Giga, Op. 61 No. 3
• (08-13) Busoni - Turandot Suite, Op. 41

Orchestra Filharmonia della Scala
Riccardo Muti, conductor

Date: 1993
Label: Sony Classical

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Review

Riccardo Muti takes time out here to present some of the lesser known, rarely heard orchestral scores of his fellow countrymen, and a superbly played, enjoyable concert it is too. Proceedings commence with a fine and spirited performance of Alfredo Casella's divertimento Paganiniana—not a great piece by any means but a work possessing plenty of charm and humour nevertheless; the outer movements are a bit of a romp (very opera buffa) and must have been as much fun to write as they clearly are for the La Scala Philharmonic to play. The tone and temperature rise a few degrees in Martucci's gorgeously lyrical Nocturne, Op. 70 No. 1—a sort of Mahler-meets-Puccini-meets-Respighi love song—and this is nicely contrasted with the affable if somewhat lightweight musings of his Novelletta and Giga. The high point of the disc, though, must surely be Muti's account of Busoni's Turandot Suite, Op. 41, the work that, after several tinkerings, finally ended up forming the basis of his 1917 opera. Muti opts for the first version of the suite dating from 1905—that is, the omission of the movements Verzweiflung und Ergebund and Altoums Warnung which Busoni added as appendices to the suite in 1911 and 1917 respectively. A pity, since what we have here is a fine and sensitively conducted performance that would have been greatly enhanced by their inclusion. The recording, made in the Teatro Abanella, Milan, is exceptionally clear and well focused, if at times a little dry.

-- Michael Stewart, Gramophone

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: **** / SOUND: ****
http://www.amazon.com/Turandot-Suite-Alfredo-Casella/dp/B0000028XN

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Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and piano teacher. Busoni was an outstanding (if sometimes controversial) pianist from an early age. He began composing in his early years in a late romantic style, and later developed a more individual one, often with elements of atonality. His compositions include works and transcriptions for piano, chamber music, vocal, orchestral works and also operas. Busoni's impact on music was more through those who studied piano and composition with him, and through his writings on music, than through his compositions themselves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferruccio_Busoni

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Alfredo Casella (25 July 1883 in Turin – 5 March 1947 in Rome) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor. He entered the Paris Conservatoiry in 1896 to study piano under Louis Diémer and composition under Gabriel Fauré. In this period, Casella developed a deep admiration for Debussy's output, but pursued a more romantic vein in his own writing. His work on Italian Baroque composers put him at the centre of the early 20th Century Neoclassical revival and also deeply influenced his own compositions. The resurrection of Vivaldi's works in the 20th century is mostly thanks to the efforts of Casella.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfredo_Casella

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Giuseppe Martucci (Capua, 6 January 1856 – Naples, 1 June 1909) was an Italian composer, conductor, pianist and teacher. As a composer and teacher, Martucci was influential in reviving Italian interest in non-operatic music. He wrote no operas, which was unusual among Italian composers of his generation, but instead concentrated on instrumental music and songs. His music was championed by Arturo Toscanini during much of the conductor's career. As a conductor, he helped to introduce Wagner's operas to Italy and also gave important early concerts of English music there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Martucci

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Riccardo Muti (born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor who particularly associated with the music of Giuseppe Verdi. He currently holds two music directorships: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (since 2010) and the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Previously he held posts at the Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London (1973-1982), the Philadelphia Orchestra (1980-1992), the Teatro alla Scala in Milan (1986-2005) and the Salzburg Whitsun Festival. Muti has been a prolific recording artist and has received dozens of honors, titles, awards and prizes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riccardo_Muti

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