Mascagni orchestral works from Chandos

[Alan Howe]

Could be toothsome:
http://www.mdt.co.uk/mascagni-in-concert-luciano-ganci-gianandrea-noseda-chandos.html

[alberto]

 I see that another CD of rare (but less rare) Mascagni choral and symphonic works (here mainly from operas) has been released on Dynamic.
The "Danza Esotica" (which I know through a very dated EMI) is the only work common to the Chandos and the Dynamic.
Between the works on the Chandos, I know just a second (and very short) piece: "La Gavotta delle Bambole" through an old "Angelicum" label Lp.

[Mark Thomas]

Mmmm. I'm a sucker for this sort of thing.

[patmos.beje]

This morning my copy of 'Mascagni in Concert' - a Chandos CD of incidental music to a play (6 tracks, one vocal), 5 short orchestral pieces and 2 pieces for soloist and orchestra (one a setting of the intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana) - arrived.  I had ordered the CD, more out of a sense of loyalty rather than enthusiasm, as Mascagni ranks as one of my very favourite composers based on his 15 operas.  Whilst there are many fine and memorable orchestral preludes, interludes and expositions in Mascagni's operas –Mascagni developed into a very fine craftsman in his use of the orchestra especially from Iris (1998) – by far the preponderance of the moments of Mascagni I most love are vocal.

My expectations of the CD were not high.  However, the CD provides a most enjoyable, not demanding, listening experience throughout its 60 minutes of melodic and well-crafted music.

As one very familiar with Mascagni's operas echoes of moments in Iris, Amica, Isabeau, Il piccolo Marat and Nerone (parts of which were composed long before its 1935 premiere) could be heard in L'apoteosi della cicogna (1930) and Visione lirica (1922).  The charming La gavotta delle bambole (1900) contemporaneous with Le Maschere is stylistically similar to parts of that opera.

The rediscovered lost score of the incidental music to Hall Caine's 'The Eternal City' (1902) is well worth having.  The score reminded me of melodic phrases from Guglielmo Ratcliff and especially Iris.

A delightful CD of lyrical and inventive music by, in my opinion, the Italian opera composer who, after Puccini, was the finest melodist of his – and slightly later - generation of Italian composers a group noted for their melodic inspiration.