Munktell: I Firenze

[Mark Thomas]

The recording of I Firenze in our Downloads Board has been deleted as it's about to be released commercially by Sterling.

[Justin]

The Sterling CD was just released a couple weeks ago: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9306435--helena-munktell-i-firenze

Volume 9 of Sterling's "Romantic Opera in Sweden" series. Includes her Cantata and Women's Choirs at the Piano Forte.

[Justin]

Just listened to the entire work and I am not sure if I would classify it as an operetta. Yes, it is a lighthearted work and comic, but the writing for the most part has more depth than that by someone like Leo Fall.

The most beautiful moment in the work is the short Romance in the third scene. It has a warm spring day tone to it even though it is a song of pleading, because Stefano is recalling all of the happy moments with Gemma while at the same time suffering grief.

That will be the movement I return to regularly (and the overture as it contains that theme), but the entire work is good fun to pull out every now and then for a chuckle when it satirizes the arrogant art critics and their elitism.