Written to commemorate the centenary of Giacomo Matteotti's death, the opera "Il pellegrino del nulla" does not focus on historical events. Instead of depicting the tragic events of the political assassination, it abstracts them to convey a everlasting message, detached from cultural contingencies. Antonio Gramsci described Matteotti as a "pellegrino del nulla" (pilgrim of nothingness), rebelling and sacrificing for an idea, a value that can symbolically transcends the limitations of his time. Perugini and de Santis exalt the notion that every uncorrupted ideal of freedom is destined to prevail over oppression. The strength of a pure idea allows to overcome the impositions of a prevailing power, causing pain and threatening death. Contrarily, the murder legitimises the censored ideal and a means to eternalises the value of his sacrifice.
World-premiere recordings of early works that shed new light on a foundational figure in Mexican classical music. Until recently, it was widely believed that Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940) only began composing in his thirties-during the final decade of a life tragically cut short by alcoholism and pneumonia. By the age of 39, he had already secured his place as the most important Mexican composer of his generation, with orchestral masterpieces such as Sensemayá and La noche de los Mayos: works notably less indebted to European models than those of his elders and contemporaries, including Carlos Chávez. The rediscovery of these manuscripts, as recently as 2024, reveals that Revueltas had in fact been composing from his teenage years, and that he was an accomplished pianist as well as a violinist. This pioneering album presents 24 piano pieces, none exceeding four minutes except for a two-movement Sonatina, with the longest being a Lento doloroso. Most date from 1915, when Revueltas studied at the National Conservatoire, though later works stem from his years in Chicago (1919) and 1924, when he wrote his final piano piece, a Satie-like caprice titled Tragedia en forma de rábano (Tragedy in the Form of a Radish). Together, these works form a kind of musical diary, reflecting both the influence of his teachers, Manuel Ponce and Felipe Villanueva, and the emergence of a distinctly Mexican voice evolving between romanticism and modernism. Of Mexican and German heritage, pianist Rodolfo Ritter-professor at the Conservatoire in Mexico City-is a leading advocate for the music of his homeland. As performer, editor, and musicologist, he has premiered numerous works by Mexican composers while also performing the concerto repertoire from Chopin to Bartók. His combination of scholarship and artistry makes him the ideal interpreter to bring these long-forgotten piano works by Revueltas to international attention.
The best of Eternal Strings accompanied by multiple Orchestra's under the direction of world famous artist bring such classics as Barber's Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 and orchestra) and Tchaikovsky's Serenade in C Major, Op. 48: I. Pezzo in forma di Sonatina to life.
It is difficult for us to put recording works into words. We are not authors, critics or musicologists. Actually, we want to let the works speak. For us, certain things can only be expressed through music and sound art. Our work began 35 years ago with the label JMT and has been continued and expanded for the past 25 years under the label Winter & Winter. Anniversaries invite us to venture a kind of retrospective: Looking back towards the future" (we were inspired by the motto of the X Documenta). But it's not us who direct, it's the artists. They make their selection, determine the order of the music pieces and present their own choice: "My Choice." Guy Klucevsek opens the programme, followed month by month this year by further choices from Jim Black, Uri Caine, the tango musician Andrés Linetzky to Aarón Zapico and his baroque orchestra Forma Antiqva." (Mariko Takahashi and Stefan Winter)
