The 19th/20th Century Italian Symphony (incl. Sgambati Symphonyno2 in E flat.)

[Marcus]

The following Italian composers, born between 1780 & 1905, wrote symphonies, (sinfonia),which went against the most popular genre of the time in Italy, opera. (I have left out the early 18th century symphony writers, Sammartini, Boccherini, Cimarosa,Piasiello, Zingarelli Heradeschi, Bononcini,Albinoni Manfredini & Tarchi.)
The following composers' symphonies are represented in the CD catalogue:
G.Martucci,(1856-1909, M.Clementi, (1752-1832), A.Salieri, (1750-1825), G.Sgambati, (1841-1914), E.Wolf-Ferrari, (1876-1948), A.Rolla, (1757-1841), L.Cherubini, (1760-1842), G.Rossini, (1792-1868), V.Bellini, (1801-1835), G.Donizetti, (1797-1848), A.Catalani, (1854-1893), R.Leoncavallo, (1857-1919), A.Francetti, (1860-1942), P.Floridia (1860-1932), F.Magi, (1839-1892), A.Ponchielli, (1834-1886), S.Mercadante, (1795-1870),A.Casella, (1883-1947), C.G.Garafolo, (1886-1962), F.Alfano, (1875-1952), G.N.Malpiero (1882-1973), F.Mignone, (1892-1986), C.A.Pizzini,(1905-1981), G.Marinuzzi, (1882-1945) A. Boito, (1842-1918).
Many of these works, were brief student attempts, some single movements, some two movements or more, but there are quite a few genuine symphonies lasting  30 - 45 minutes, such as those by Cherubini, Clementi, Sgambati, Martucci, Marinuzzi, Floridia, Casella, Garafolo, & Alfano.
I.Pizzetti wrote a substantial Symphony in A major, (also a Piano concerto in C), R.Zandonai, (1883-1944), wrote symphonic poems, and V. de Sabata also wrote symphonic poems which are available on CD.
I can recommend the Marinuzzi Symphony in A which runs for 41 minutes, it is a brooding 3 mvt neo-classical work reminiscent of Stravinsky.The de Sabata tone poems  are a real find. The Pietro Floridia Symphony in D is a substantial work of 4 mvts lasting 40'41", written for Wagnerian forces.When Floridia showed his symphony to Hans von Bulow in 1888, von Bulow commented: "It is a real symphony and a fine work, but reveals the operatic composer", and that sums it up perfectly.
The Sgambati Symphony no2 in E flat (4 mvts, 10'05"- 4'27"-  7'24"- 9'21") ,is a computer realisation by English musician & teacher, Roz Trubger (Virtually Unknown website). Although it is not as enjoyable as the genuine article, it is better than nothing, and I thank Roz for her effort to make this music known. Sgambati's 1st Symphony in D & Piano Concerto in C minor is available on Naive #AT 20002 , (pianist Alexandre Paley)
Some of Pizzini's symphonic poems & other works are  available on Naxos 8.111317 - a pleasant discovery for me, and at a budget price.

Marcus.

[edurban]

Here's a story about the aforementioned Garafolo.  Some years ago I worked in the late, lamented Tower Records at Lincoln Center, where Garafolo's elderly son used to hang out almost daily.  He would buttonhole people browsing the bins and direct them to the  Marco Polo disc (was there ever more than one?) of his father's music.  If they declined to buy it, he would argue with them and berate them.  He was also full of stories about his father, and was fond of blasting Respighi for sabotaging the performance of Garafolo's opera.  He was a very dramatic old man and used to hiss:  "Respighi, he keel-a my father's opera."  Wonder if he's still around.

David

[JimL]

Is M. Cherubini any relation to Luigi Cherubini, Director of the Paris Conservatoire and Berlioz' nemesis?  A large number of those sinfonias as you mentioned were basically spare opera overtures, which the composers never got around to attaching to any opera.  However, if you expand beyond the symphony you'll find quite a few instrumentalist composers from Italy.  On the old forum there was a bit of attention given to the 5 violin concertos of Antonio Bazzini (of Goblin Dance fame).  I remember that just before the forum was transferred here, someone posted that some label was going to do a CD series of them, but I don't know if anything came of it.  Donizetti, of course, composed a Concertino for English Horn, a few other concertante works, some of those sinfonias, and a large number of string quartets, which have been recorded.  Besides the two symphonies and a quantity of chamber music which I understand is of high quality, Sgambati composed a massive piano concerto, which was recorded on Genesis LP by none other than Jorge Bolet, and is one of the CD re-releases of that old series, coupled with Adrian Ruiz' recording of the Rheinberger concerto.

BTW, Roz briefly participated in the old Raff Forums, and her presence here would be greatly valued.  You out there, Roz? 

[Steve B]

Ed, thats a good story re Garafalo's son in your record shop. Have you heard the Symphony by Garafalo?: it is pretty crazy. Need to refresh my memory but have a downlaoded version of the original MP disc(c/w the Violin Concerto), which is probably still available on EMusic and/or Naxos's own download site. The symphony is conducted by that characterful advocate of the obscure, Adriano, with a scratch orchestra; and am afraid they are very scratchy but my memory is of an OTT(in a good way:)!) mammoth piece, with a significant organ part. Try and listen THROUGH the orchestra(in parts anyway). AND there are some good tunes.
Steve

[oldman]

The garofalo symphony can be found at

http://www.emusic.com/album/Sergei-Stadler-GAROFALO-Romantic-Symphony-Violin-Concerto-MP3-Download/10873002.html

It definitely sounds promising.

[Marcus]

Thanks JimL, it was a typo error and should be L.Cherubini ( I have corrected it)
Yes, the original sinfonia was a work to precede an opera, and many of  these works fit that description, however, many  were presented as symphonies according to the booklet notes. As you may expect, most of them are lightweight works & eminently forgettable.
I have the six Bazzini string quartets. They are all fine examples, with the 1st in C major the standout for me.
Naxos recently released a CD of his works for Violin & Piano. (#8.570800) Let's hope there will be more instalments of his other works to follow.
Marcus

[Marcus]

Sgambati's Symphony no1 in D major is a beautiful work, with echoes of Brahms, Bruch, Schumann & Mendelssohn.
Its rousing opening sets the scene for some wonderful music. There are five movements,Allegro,Andante, Scherzo, Serenata, & Finale. Just after the beginning of the finale, there is a reference to the well known chorale that features in Magnard's Symphony no3.(Ist & 4th mvts).
Has anyone else noticed this quote from Magnard ? It is only brief, but had me replaying Magnard, just to be sure. Sgambati wrote his work in 1880-81 & Magnard wrote his 3rd in 1896. I doubt if either knew each other, or their works.So it is just one of those coincidences,that occurs from time to time in music, to which Brahms may have commented : "any ass can see that ".
Groves (5thEd) lists Sgambati's Symphony no1 as in D minor & Symphony no2 in E minor. The booklet notes with Symphony no1, refers a number of times ,to Sgambati's B flat major Symphony, which must be the Symphony no2 in E flat major, an obvious typo ? But I offer no excuse for Groves. How's that for confusion ?
Marcus.

[Alan Howe]

I don't find that Sgambati's Symphony No.1 is all that close to the conservative German symphonic tradition: I find as much Liszt and Berlioz in it as any of those composers, plus even a hint of Bruckner in the wonderful slow movement and a touch of Italian serenade in the fourth movement (there are five altogether). The work is, by the way, absolutely gorgeous and jam-packed full of memorable ideas. If you can hunt down the CD (on the Actes Sud label, by the way, not Naive - the latter were the distributors), you're in for a serious treat. Sgambati is also a more original composer than his rough contemporary Martucci, much as I love his music.

[Mark Thomas]

..and just to stray very slightly from the thread, Sgambati's Piano Concerto is a very attractive work too.  There are several recordings available (it's actually coupled with Symphony No.1 on one) but my favourite remains the old Genesis LP performance with Bolet, now available on CD coupled with the equally recommendable Piano Concerto by Rheinberger.

[eschiss1]

I thought Cherubini's symphony was an arrangement/expansion of a string quartet, not an opera overture? Maybe it's both?

Eric

[JimL]

Cherubini's symphony is a full-scale 4 movement symphony.  I'm not sure whether the quartet preceded or followed it, he but it was never intended as an opera overture.  By this point, the opera overtures were all single-section sonata or sonatina form movements, no longer the tri-sectional fast-slow-fast sinfonia of the classical age.

[Empfindsamer]

I noticed that you mentioned Carlo Giorgio Garofalo, Italian unsung.
According to Abeillemusique (a retailer that is often more informating about new releases than the sites of the recording labels), it seems that Naxos will reissue the famous Marco Polo recording of his Sinfonia Romatica:
http://www.abeillemusique.com/CD/Classique/8570877/0747313087778/Naxos/Carlo-Giorgio-Garofalo/Concerto-pour-violon-Symphonie-romantique/cleart-35793.html

I think that this disc will join the series "20th Century Italian Classics", and that deserves the reissuing.
The Sinfonia Drammatica is a medium-large scale work (39 minutes) quite similar with Respighi's Sinfonia Drammatica (a VERY unsung masterpiece itself), written in 1915 for large orchestra. The organ appears in the introduction of the first movement. The second movemente is a fascinating brucknerian oasis, and the Scherzo is gracious and elegant.

Th Violin Concerto is nearer to a brahmsian manner, instead of its composition date (1927). It's a definitely romantic, non-virtuoso concert, with a magnificent Andante. The first movement, in which the soloist (who is never called to excessive virtuosity) take the floor immediately, it has a character both grandiose and pathetic. The third tempo is instead a typical gipsy-inspired Rondò. You can not say that this concert shines for originality, but I don't think that violin concertos by, for istance, Saint Saens are so superior.

[pcc]

Mentioning Bazzini brought to mind his concert overture to Alfieri's drama _Saul_, which has been recorded exactly once -- by the composer-conductor Cesare Sodero and the "American Symphony Orchestra" (the Edison house orchestra, about 25 players) on an Edison vertical-cut disc in 1919.  It is probably the strangest instrumental piece in the Edison catalogue, and the reason it was recorded is that Sodero championed Italian symphonic music in a series of concerts in NY and the Edison company (for whom Sodero worked as principal conductor) left band and orchestra repertoire to his choosing.  It could really use a modern recording; Sodero gives a dramatic reading, and the small Edison group plays well, but the original scoring demands a big orchestra.  The piece is quite substantial, replete with Beethovenesque off-stage trumpet calls, a trombone declamation, and a furious coda.  The Italian _Egmont_?  (It's even in the same keys.)

There's also the _Dante_ symphony by Giovanni Pacini, a very late work, and that was even published in miniature score by Ricordi.  One movement, but for large orchestra, lengthy, and very elaborate.  Anyone know it?

[rosflute]

.....and I thank Roz for her effort to make this music known.....

Marcus thank you for this mention!  I have just come across this site and have been very interested to read entries.
To update you on the Sgambati:  I have just finished a 2nd revised edition of the score and eradicated a few typos and made a better looking score. So now I am looking towards a first performance to coincide with the centenary of his death in 1914.

[alberto]

I reply....... belatedly to post 12. Many years attended an imaginative concert coupling Pacini's and Liszt's Dante Symphonies. Prolific composers both (as Pacini composed about 90 stage operas).
The Pacini was obviously by far the weaker (and also much the less ambitious, lasting about less than half an hour).
About post 13 I would ask Rosflute if he knows Sgambati "Epitalamio Sinfonico" os "Sinfonia Epitalamia": that was composed for, and performed at, a royal (Italian ) wedding, but not published.
A Sgambati enthusiast spoke  me about the work as a substantial one movement work.