It was in the mid-eighteen century London that the eclectic figure of Felice Giardini (or Degiardino: Turin, 1716 – Moscow, 1796) made his first appearance. He was a violin virtuoso with eye-catching executive skills, conductor, composer, impresario in contact with leading intellectuals. His musical production is multifaced. He experimented mainly with duet, trio, string quartet. His music is a perfect mixture of Italian and German tradition (Johann Christian Bach, Johann Stamitz and Manheim School that has typical features of the “Style Galant”). Evidence of this can be found in the Six Duos for Two Violins Op. II (1751), dedicated to Prince Heinrich of Prussia. Giardini’s style is spontaneous, easy to listen to, characterized by freshness and lyricism cantabile, joyous naturalness and refinement. Generally, it appears to be an essential musical writing, coming back to the formal clarity and to the contrapuntal simplicity. It develops a great tonal sensibility, supported by a dynamic rhythmic structure: the pure melody, without ornaments, is becoming increasingly important. The notoriety of his music is verified by Charles Burney: “I find all over Italy that Giardini’s solos are in great repute, and very justly so, as I heard nothing equal to them of kind, on the continent” (The Present State of Music in France and Italy, 1771).

Padre Davide da Bergamo (Felice Moretti) has been the most representative figure of the Italian nineteenth century organ music. Having become a minor friar after studying organ music with Davide Bianchi and Antonio Gonzales, and composition with Simone Mayr, he began a flamboyant career throughout northern Italy as excellent performer and improviser. Soon he became the major reference of his time for consulting, tests and inaugurations of new organs. Lauded by the crowds and by the musicians (in Milan for an inauguration he played almost uninterruptedly for eight days!), he was the greatest and most famous organist of the Italian Risorgimento, the absolute champion of that sound that took the theatrical style to permeate the the organ music and the instrument itself. Marco Ruggeri presents here an interesting selection of works for the liturgy and for the concert, performing them on the Serassi organ of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Campagna in Piacenza: the organ designed by Father Davide himself, where he served until his death.

Antonio Bazzini, violinist and composer, was born in Brescia on 11 March 1818 and died in Milan on 10 February. At the age of eight, he began to study the violin under the guidance of Fausto Camesani (or Camisani); at thirteen, he published his first composition; and at seventeen, he had six symphonies for great orchestra performed at the theatre of Brescia. In 1836, when he was eighteen, he was auditioned by Paganini, who encouraged him to embark on a career as a concert performer. From that time onwards, he was constantly successful. He held concerts in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, England and Belgium. He met many contemporary composers, one of whom was Robert Schumann, who praised him saying: “Since many years no virtuoso has given me such an intimate joy and such pleasant, happy moments as Antonio Bazzini has done. It seems to me that he is too little known, and that, even here, he has not been appreciated as much as he deserves.” The works for string quartet performed by Quartetto Bazzini in this recording are no. 1 without an opus number and no. 3 op. 76. On listening to these two works, we can understand and appreciate Bazzini’s mastery as a composer: the solo parts are skillfully distributed among the string instruments, and we can detect an influence of French and German instrumental music, filtered by his creative genius, which is never predictable or recognisable.

Giuseppe Martucci was admired and appreciated by his contemporaries Franz Liszt and Anton Rubinstein, and was an outstanding performer and teacher, as well as composer. This new release presents his Sonata in fa diesis minore op. 52, Due romanze per violoncello con accompagnamento di pianoforte op. 72, and Tre pezzi per violoncello e pianoforte op. 69. Performing these works is cellist Jacopo Francini and pianist Alessandro Deljavan.

The figure and work of Bernardo Storace are particularly fascinating because of the aura of mystery which surrounding both. The only information we have on this remarkable composer for keyboard instruments is printed on the frontispiece of his one known work, the “Selva di varie compositioni d’intavolatura per cimbalo ed organo by Bernardo Storace vice Chapel Master of the Illustrious Senate of the Noble and Exemplary City of Messina”. The continuous earthquakes that afflicted Messina right up to the beginning of the twentieth century destroyed any existing evidence of Storace and his works. The one example of the Selva, which has fortunately survived, was printed in 1664 in Venice, then a very important printing centre, but is without the editor’s name or a dedication. This vast florilegium is made up of a wide range of variations based on nearly all the popular themes of that time, as well as two courantes, two toccatas and canzonas, two ricercari and a pastorale. Francesco Cera, renowned early music specialist, here uses three different historical instruments: organ, harpsichord and spinetta, for a refined and competent performance, supported by Fabio Tricomi at the percussions.

Classical Music

The Canzoni et sonate date to 1615, three years after his Giovanni Gabrieli's death. +There are 17 canzonas for 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 or 12 voices, and 4 sonate for 14, 15 or 22 voices, and the last for three violins. +In their magnificence, these works celebrate the glory of the Venetian state and blend the old compositional style with the new - polyphonically, harmonically, rhythmically and melodically. +This historic recording features the Consort Fontegara directed by René Clemencic.

This first complete edition of organ music by Pietro Alessandro Yon represents an important piece in the mosaic of the Italian organ production of the Cecilian generation where Marco Enrico Bossi, Giovanni Tebaldini, Oreste Ravanello, were the main exponents. Pietro Yon, friend of Bossi, was like a career concert artist, and was acclaimed by the masses for the virtuosity and singability of his performances; he made his fortune in America, where he developed his musical talent like his great business skills, never forgetting Italy, which always remained in his heart. The young Bolognese organist Elisa Teglia performs this repertoire on four historical instruments alternating pieces of rare expressiveness with others based on spectacular technicalities, often including popular themes, national anthems and famous melodies, that Pietro Yon used for bewitching the crowds at his extraordinary performances.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Antegnati: L'Antegnata

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music