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Assorted items => Commercial recordings (vintage, new and forthcoming) => Topic started by: albert on November 20, 2012, 10:15:53 am



Title: Unknown Mascagni from Chandos
Post by: albert on November 20, 2012, 10:15:53 am
I understand that Gianandrea Noseda and the orchestra of Teatro Regio, Torino have recorded for Chandos Pietro Mascagni 1901 score for a documentary/movie "The eternal city". I know nothing about time of release.


Title: Re: Unknown Mascagni from Chandos
Post by: patmos.beje on November 21, 2012, 10:29:10 am
That is good news.  Most of Mascagni, including his 15 operas, his operetta and early works (e.g. In Finlandia), has been recorded.  The Eternal City is a gap in the recording oeuvre.  I would have thought Bongiovanni would have been the most likely to record this score but am happy Chandos has decided to do so.  

In 'Pietro Mascagni and his Operas' (Northeastern Press 2002), p.152 Allan Mallach notes Masacgni's decision to compose incidental music to Hall Caine's play, due to its content, was controversial in Italy.    He says the score 'breaks no new ground, although along with charm and lyrical beauty, it offers some interesting contrapuntal effects and harmonic twists.  It is far better music than its role as theatrical background music demands'.  He notes the score and parts are lost and that only the piano reduction remains.

Perhaps the score has been reconstructed or, perhaps like Mascagni's early setting of Schiller's 'Ode to Joy' (Alla gioia) thought to have been lost, it has been rediscovered. :D

An interesting prospect.