Goffredo Petrassi from Stradivarius

[alberto]

The label Stradivarius has just released
Goffredo Petrassi (1904-2003)
Concerto for piano and orch. (1939)
Ballet suite "La follia di Orlando" (1943)
Partita for orch. (1932)
(Alfonso Alberti, piano; Orchestra Nazionale RAI, Torino, cond. Arturo Tamayo: STR 33824)
It is neo-classical stuff. Think of Petrassi First Concerto for orch.(in the downloads section). Or of the neo-classical Casella in not bitter mood.
The Partita is busy and energetic.
"La follia d'Orlando" is rather playful.
The rather "big" (around 32') Piano Concerto sounds to me invigorating and fully interesting (not avoiding virtuoso "romantic" gestures which do not sound off the argument).
Good performances.
IMHO an important recording.
I gather that Chandos considered (maybe still considers) to record both the Partita and "La follia d'Orlando", but resolved -up to now- to record Petrassi's Magnificat and Psalm IX (still neo-classical works).

[Dundonnell]

Thank you for this excellent news, Alberto

Petrassi was a highly important composer and one most music I, generally, prefer to that of his contemporary Dallapiccola. I do find the later Concertos for Orchestra(Nos.6-8) pretty difficult works but I will be delighted to finally make acquaintance with the Piano Concerto and the Partita, the latter Petrassi's breakthrough piece. Also good to hear that Psalm IX will be recorded.

These are great times for 20th century Italian music-first Malipiero, then Casella and now Petrassi

Still Pizzetti to go, though