{"product_id":"malipiero-tre-commedie-goldoniane","title":"Malipiero: Tre commedie goldoniane","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis is a most rewarding reissue, and a tantalising glimpse into Malipiero’s endearing sound-world. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e The Naxos Italian Classics series has produced some fine discs. These include top-notch versions of Alfredo Casella’s \u0026gt;First and Second symphonies with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma under Francesco La Vecchia. That revival of interest will surely extend to the works of Malipiero, a contemporary of Casella’s and also a founder member of the Corporazione delle Nuove Musiche. The disc under review is not new - it was issued on the now defunct Marco Polo label in the late-1990s - and the music is hardly core repertoire. All the more surprising, as the pieces recorded here are really rather good. Not only that, the playing of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana is very idiomatic, too. \u003cbr\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e  The three fragments from Malipiero’s opera  \u003ci\u003eTre commedie goldoniane\u003c\/i\u003e have an open-faced, genial air;  \u003ci\u003eLa bottega da caffè\u003c\/i\u003e is a perky little number, underpinned by some delightful, burbling rhythms, the out-of-sorts  \u003ci\u003eSior Todero\u003c\/i\u003e characterised by low, rather comical brass. As vignettes go, these are lightly drawn, and all credit to conductor Christian Benda for bringing out the many subtleties of colour and rhythm. The latter is a key element here, the  \u003ci\u003emolto perpetuo\u003c\/i\u003e of  \u003ci\u003eLa baruffe chiozzotte\u003c\/i\u003e discreetly done. It’s an odd blend of chamber-like scoring and gaudy effects - the bells for instance - but it hangs together well and never outstays its welcome. Most entertaining. \u003cbr\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e  The short, post-war ballet  \u003ci\u003eStradivario,\u003c\/i\u003e centred on a stolen Strad that comes to life and dances with a variety of other instruments, is surprisingly light on its feet. Violinist Tamas Major is a little thin-sounding as the protagonist, but it’s the boisterous bass drum - well caught - that threatens to steal the show. There’s plenty of dynamic range here; the orchestra is convincingly balanced, woodwind solos rise naturally from the mix and the brass are thrilling in their brisk, repeated figures. There’s an abiding sense of fun in this music, epitomised by the smile-inducing march for flutes and drums. A real tonic, this. \u003cbr\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e  Malipiero’s interest in Italian composers of the 16 \u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e, 17 \u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e and 18 \u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e centuries dates back to his youth, where he spent hours copying the music of Monteverdi and other early masters. This fascination, shared by his compatriots Casella and Respighi, is most evident in  \u003ci\u003eLa Cimarosiana,\u003c\/i\u003e inspired by the music of Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801). \u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eBut it’s not just a fastidious, dry little exercise in retro-writing; for instance, sandwiched between the elegant  \u003ci\u003eAndante grazioso\u003c\/i\u003e and  \u003ci\u003eNon troppo mosso\u003c\/i\u003e is an uncouth, streetwise  \u003ci\u003eAllegro moderato\u003c\/i\u003e that’s both bizarre and entirely in keeping with Malipero’s well-developed sense of mischief and whimsy. Make no mistake though, the period features are skilfully done and the music is very well played; the limpid  \u003ci\u003eLarghetto\u003c\/i\u003e is especially attractive. \u003cbr\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e  As a Venetian himself, Malipiero would have had a special affection for the music of Giovanni Gabrieli ( \u003ci\u003ec.\u003c\/i\u003e 1554\/57-1612), whose distinctive style is joyfully conveyed in the bracing  \u003ci\u003eGabrieliana.\u003c\/i\u003e The up-front OSI brass are very bright indeed - brazen, even - which seems entirely appropriate in this context. That said, it’s all a tad fatiguing at times. Not as relaxed and congenial as the other items, perhaps, but it does reveal a more studied, serious aspect of the composer’s musical persona. \u003cbr\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e  This is a most rewarding reissue, and a tantalising glimpse into Malipiero’s endearing sound-world. There are several discs in this series - some of the symphonies have already been reviewed on these pages - so if this collection piques your interest don’t hesitate to give them a try. \u003cbr\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e  -- Dan Morgan, MusicWeb International\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Malipiero was a very odd composer. He wrote tons of music, some of it very unpretentious and appealing (as here), turning later in his life to a gnarly, chromatic idiom. If you want to sample some of his better work, this reissue (originally released on Marco Polo) makes an ideal place to start. The largest work is the ballet Stradivario, one of those “musical instruments come to life” stories with creepily tragic results. The music from three Goldoni comedies is frothy and full of fun, while the other two works fall into the same genre as Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances or Casella’s Scarlattiana. The performances are perfectly enjoyable, and well recorded to boot. A nice disc for collectors of the unusual.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e -- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49682322817304,"sku":"747313088379","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1796715.jpg?v=1777574610","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/malipiero-tre-commedie-goldoniane","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}