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Saturday, January 6, 2018

Giuseppe Martucci - Song of Memories; Piano Concerto No. 2 (Riccardo Muti)


Information

Composer: Giuseppe Martucci
  • (01-07) La canzone dei ricordi
  • (08-10) Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 66

Mirella Freni, soprano (1-7)
Carlo Bruno, piano (8-10)
Orchestra Filharmonia della Scala
Riccardo Muti, conductor

Date: 1996
Label: Sony Classical


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Review

Here is an ideal coupling for anyone who has been meaning to investigate Martucci, but has not yet got round to doing so; or for anyone who has, and wants a couple of his indisputably major works in performances of great distinction.

Both the Piano Concerto and La canzone dei ricordi (“The song of memories”) date from Martucci’s full maturity; they show, however, quite distinct sides of his talent. The concerto is huge, boldly romantic and intensely Brahmsian, but also much more assured and original than most concertos to which such a description might be applied. The first movement, for example, is laid out with great confidence in an ingenious expansion of sonata form, effectively allowing two contrasted development sections, yet with enough variety of incident and splendidly virtuoso pianism to earn every second of its 23 minutes. The slow movement has abundant romantic melody (at times almost recalling – or rather predicting – Rachmaninov) and achieves noble eloquence before its tranquil conclusion. The finale is an entertainingly and resourcefully ingenious sonata rondo with especially brilliant piano writing. Bruno is in fiery and eloquent command of it; if you have encountered neither him nor the concerto you will urgently be asking ‘why not?’ long before the performance is over.

La canzone dei ricordi is no less opulent but more intimate and much more Italian: a song-cycle of poignant regret for lost love, in a language that owes as much to Martucci’s Italian forebears and contemporaries in its vocal writing as it does to Wagner in its harmony. And yet it is also individual, not least in its subtle use of recurring motives and of string textures of great richness. It is a most appealing and effective piece, and Freni seizes all its opportunities for ample lyricism and impassioned gesture with gratitude. It is written for a mezzo with high notes rather than a soprano with low ones, but it suits her very well. Both she and the orchestra gain from a warmly sympathetic acoustic; Muti’s handling of both scores is splendidly sonorous and, in the concerto, big-boned. It is hard to imagine the case for Martucci being more convincingly stated.

-- Michael Oliver, Gramophone

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: *** / SOUND: ****


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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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