Don't miss the first recording of C-T's First Violin Concerto on Naxos (played by Tianwa Yang) , just issued. Sunny and tuneful it's a lovely piece.
Has anybody else heard this concerto yet. Heifetz played it. It really is splendid... melodic, superbly orchestrated, colourful and with that inevitability and seamlessness of thought which seems to be a characteristic of C-T's music. Frankly, I enjoyed it far more than VCs by Widor or Jongen (though I love his Harp Concerto).
It's on my wish-list. I'll report back in due course.
For some reason, unfortunately this recording isn't yet available for download at classicsonline.com.
QuoteFor some reason, unfortunately this recording isn't yet available for download at classicsonline.com.
but it is available from Qobuz in standard or even HD quality since Feb. 3rd.
Ah, thanks very much. I shall pop over to France, then.
If that itinerary includes the US, I hope this time I'm close enough by to say hi (hopefully closer by than in 1999). :D
BTW He wrote one movement for string quartet, from his Op.170 set, in 1960. (Op.170 No.28: "Ein Quartett-Satz on the name of Walter Arlen") (Op.170 no.28 composed in two days in September 1960- almost the same time I was born, give or take a few days and 9 years prior, but still...)
Anyone know anything about the Op.170 set of Greeting Cards, btw? Many different instrumentations... don't know of recordings off the top of my head. Intriguing. (Yes, much later than the usual orbit of this forum, though only someone who's heard the works could say if he'd changed his style all _that_ much in the interim. (It was performed in August 2010 in Schloss Laudon.))
Hrm .Actually, according to the Castelnuovo Tedesco papers (http://infomotions.com/sandbox/liam/pages/httphdllocgovlocmusiceadmusmu010012.html)*, he did write string quartets (of a larger size), too. They're just all or mostly in manuscript. (Quartet in G op.58 may be the exception- I vaguely recall that one was published? Yes? No? - the other two are described as quartet no.2 op.139 and quartet no.3 op.203. Plus two piano quintets in manuscript in the same collection of his manuscript papers (see below, anycase...)
*That link is a transcription into text, with less information, from this PDF Finding Aid link at the US library of congress, which actually has his papers, if you were wondering about that link :D - Castelnuovo-Tedesco Finding Aid PDF (http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu010012.3). So go there for more detail. :) (They also list at least 3 string trios. A chamber group could have a lot of fun with performing and recording his music, if his family - see 1968 death date - and the LoC - etc. etc. - and the public proved equally interested. Maybe Naxos could give these quartets, quintets and trios a go too...) also a cello concerto under works w/o opus number... several operas... I wonder how many of these manuscripts are editable and produceable? (Yes, I know, so many manuscripts, so little time.
And agreed, hope the first concerto lives up to these expectations, of course. *going to see if I can find it on YouTube (over Roku with TV speakers), impatient person I am.*
C-T's grandson Greg is a FB friend of mine, although he is not involved much in music.
That's interesting, Jim. Does he talk about his grandfather much?
Not really. I've sent some FB PMs to him about his father, but most of his posts are political in nature. A bit of a leftist firebrand, he is. I think he's an attorney.
Oh - thanks, anyway.
Quotealso a cello concerto under works w/o opus number... several operas... I wonder how many of these manuscripts are editable and produceable?
Grove lists a Vc concerto as op. 72 (1932-33), so is it implied there's a second languishing in manuscript?
I have the following operas on CD:
Mandragora (Rome RAI) I think it's a wonderful piece and IMHO should be better known.
The Merchant of Venice (Première performance, Florence 1961 - radio recording, not the best quality. I feel the opera grows in strength and stature as it progresses and would appreciate having a modern recording.
The Importance of Being Earnest (Première RAI broadcast 1972) CT set practically the whole play to music - 2hrs 20 mins! The quality is very good for its age.
As far as I know
All's Well that Ends Well, op. 186 and
Saul, op. 191 remain unpeformed.
Not CT, but another
Merchant of Venice is being performed in St Etienne in May and supported by Palezzetto Bru Zane. It's Reynaldo Hahn's
Le Marchant de Venise. It could be a future release in their French opera series.
Box 90/12 in Works Woo in Library of Congress C-T Archive contains a concerto for cello and orchestra (printed not MS score). Box 14/2 contains the printed score of the Op. 72 Vc concerto.
You'll find "La Mandragola" on YouTube
Edith Martelli, Ferruccio Mazzoli, Rosa Laghezza, Aldo Bottion, Giorgio Lormi, Mario Basiola Jr., Saverio Porzano.
Orchestra della Rai di Milano
Ferdinando Guarnieri, conductor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h7bHdkLdEc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h7bHdkLdEc)
Also "Evangélion (A. Marangoni)" has been released on Naxos
http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573316 (http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573316)
Many Jewish works are available either on CD or in mp3 (downloadable from iTunes or Amazon) on Milken Archives Site
Memorial Service for the Departed, Naomi & Ruth, ...
http://www.milkenarchive.org/people/view/all/487/Mario+Castelnuovo-Tedesco
(http://www.milkenarchive.org/people/view/all/487/Mario+Castelnuovo-Tedesco)
Claude
VC1 is a truly lovely - indeed juicily gorgeous - piece. About as romantic a violin concerto as one can imagine. Although it would be an anachronism, it could be titled "The Hollywood Concerto"...
and we don't want to cause misunderstandings between Corigliano and Castelnuovo-Tedesco('s estate) by inserting that "The"... :)
???
This thread immediately caught my eye. Already an admirer of Castelnuovo-Tadesco's music ( I have his 2 piano concertos, his guitar concerto and his violin concerto no 2), I straight away put this CD on my wish list. I did not purchase the disc immediately as I already had a large number of CDs on order and in addition, I already had a very fine version of his VC no 2 (Itzhak Perlman and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra/Zubin Mehta). Then 2 weeks ago, I could wait no longer and immediately ordered the CD. Since its arrival, I have listened to the VC no 1( Concerto italiano for violin and orchestra) at least half a dozen times and I must say that I too think that this is a marvellous work which is fast becoming one of my favourite VCs. Indeed, I already prefer it to VC 2! For those who don't know VC2, in can be described as, and I quote "an impassioned work of biblical character and inspiration with an almost cinematic sweep to it". As has already been stated in this thread, VC 1 also has a very pronounced cinematic feel to it. I felt this even before learning that C-T,forced to leave Italy because of the war, moved to America and was initially based in New York for about a year before moving to Hollywood in 1940 . From 1940 until 1956, C-T wrote a tremendous amount of film music and some sources credit him with having worked on as many as 250 movies, although he did not always receive screen credit! Listening to his 2 VCs, I can readily understand why he was so in demand in Hollywood!!!VC1 comprises 3 movements, with the opening movement as long as movements 2 and 3 combined. The first movement opens with a delightful melody, leading to a long lyrical passage. At 6:15 into the movement , this theme takes on almost a "swing" element to the music ( interestingly, I detected what seemed to me almost the same theme given this swing treatment at 0:40 in movement 3 of the second VC – but not being a musicologist, I leave it to the experts to determine whether elements of VC1 are reprised in VC2!). The first movement continues with some dense but very striking orchestration, becoming quite dramatic before returning to a long lyrical passage, followed by a long cadenza, culminating with a big dramatic finish for both violin and orchestra. Movement 2, as the Arioso title indicates, is a lovely, song-like movement, rhapsodic and very beautiful with many delightful orchestral touches. Limpid, delicate and of great beauty, this movement is also not without its moments of drama. Movement 3 effectively closes the the VC on a very satisfyingly emotional high, albeit a little abruptly.With a rondo feel to the music, the movement is dance-like, and again has many lyrical passages. The VC is all too quickly over! I particularly appreciated the playing of Tianwa Yang, who produces an absolutely beautiful tone throughout both works. I can well understand why this violinist is widely recognized as one of the outstanding rising stars on the world classical music scene.
There is also a Concerto for guitar and orch.n.2 and one for two guitars and orch.
not to mention a serenade for guitar and orchestra (Op.118), a harp concertino (Op.93), a concerto da camera (Op.146) with oboe, a cello concerto (without Op.), among other concertante works...
Alberto and Eschiss thank you for mentioning other works by C-T. The list of works I referred to in the post above was never an exhaustive one as I know there is a lot of music by C-T out there. I was merely referring to CDs I had purchased,i.e. works that I was specifically interested in. I will though follow up on your suggestions.
some of the ones I mention are probably still unrecorded, mentioned in the guide to Castelnuovo-Tedesco's papers (with worklist) at the Library of Congress.