Ildebrando Pizzetti
Tue, May 22 2012, 12:29PM
Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968) Does anybody have any of his choral music?
The only recordings I have are: the Messa di Requiem and the De Profundis, both on the same Hyperion disc as the Frank Martin Mass for double choir. (Interesting tale - both Pizzetti and Malipiero wrote a setting of Psalm 130, and dedicated their settings to each other when their friendship was repaired in 1937. I also have, in a boxed set called Virtuose Chormusik on EMI Electrola, his Tre composizioni corali.
It's beautiful stuff! Apparently Castelnuovo-Tedesco described Pizzetti as 'without doubt the greatest vocal polyphonist Italy has had since the glorious fifteen hundreds'.
(I guess some of you opera devotees may know something of his operas as well, so please feel free to recommend also...)
Mark
Tue, May 22 2012, 4:21PM
#2
RE: Ildebrando Pizzetti
Despite he is not my cup of tea, Mark, Pizzetti has some interesting compositions, though I found him uneven and, sometimes, flat.
His Opera Fedra (on French Accord) is a good effort to approach musically a tale that quite a few other composers tried with not so much success.
His Complete Piano Music (on Brilliant) is uneven, but with some very good moments (Sogno), though not that many.
From his Orchestral works, the Rondo Veneziano & La Pisanela along with some more works (on Hyperion) are some of the straightforward beautiful compositions of 20th century Italy.
A rare but great recording of his Piano Concerto with Aldo Ciccolini (on French Accord) is also worthwhile (mainly because of the very solid soloist).
Finally, Naxos issued two very interesting CDs on his Chamber Music, one on his String Quartets and one on his Piano Trio and the works for Violin and Piano. The latter is my most favourite of his works as a listening experience.
By all means, the CD you bought contains two of the most significant compositions of the composer.
Good exploration and hunting.
Parla
Tue, May 22 2012, 11:42PM
#3
RE: Ildebrando Pizzetti
The only music I know is the outstanding CD of his orchestral music conducted by Vanska of all people!
He is frequently spoken of in the same breath as Malipiero and Casella and considered the better of the three.
Wed, May 23 2012, 4:54PM
#4
RE: Ildebrando Pizzetti
Hi Parla and Troyen:
Muchos gracias. I'll have a go at that orchestral CD you mentioned Troyen. I've found it on Amazon - Helios/BBC Scottish/Vanska.
Parla I couldn't find anything under Pizzetti on Naxos UK, but there are a handful of Pizzetti CD's as I say on Amazon.
I believe Troyen the three composers were known as the 'class of 1880'. Perhaps we should have a posthumous school reunion for them!
Added later: My mistake Parla I have found the quartets and trios now on Naxos!
Mark
Wed, May 23 2012, 11:20PM
#5
RE: Ildebrando Pizzetti
Hi Parla and Troyen:
Muchos gracias. I'll have a go at that orchestral CD you mentioned Troyen. I've found it on Amazon - Helios/BBC Scottish/Vanska.
Parla I couldn't find anything under Pizzetti on Naxos UK, but there are a handful of Pizzetti CD's as I say on Amazon.
I believe Troyen the three composers were known as the 'class of 1880'. Perhaps we should have a posthumous school reunion for them!
Added later: My mistake Parla I have found the quartets and trios now on Naxos!
Mark
I've become quite fond of the other two and am happy to recommend the recent Naxos issues of the Casella 2nd and 3rd symphonies and the orchestral works of Malipiero.
Fri, Jun 15 2012, 10:37PM
#6
RE: Ildebrando Pizzetti
I have great regard for Pizzetti's music. Perhaps it hasn't been mentioned because it's a bit better-known, but his opera Assassinio nella cattedrale (from Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral) is quite easy to find. There's a DG mono recording of a 1960 performance (in German) from Vienna, conducted by Karajan and with an astonishing cast (Hotter as Becket, Schöffler and Berry among the Tempters/Knights, Christa Ludwig in the Chorus). It's deleted now but you can probably find an inexpensive copy. Also - given the erratic nature of these things - it's intriguing to note that a production is around on DVD with Raimondi, filmed in the cathedral at Bari. I'm lucky enough to have both, but can't comment on the other recording out there with Rossi-Lemeni (who created the role of Becket) and La Scala forces. The date given for that recording (by Opera d'Oro, who released it) would suggest it was of the premiere - does anyone know? I'm extremely fond of the opera. The glorious orchestral interlude which replaces (most of) Becket's Christmas Day sermon in Eliot's play, and draws on the music to which Becket surrenders to the coming events at the end of the first Act, isn't easily forgotten. Nor does the piece seem to have fallen off the grid - I noticed some interesting reviews of a revival in Frankfurt last year, with Sir John Tomlinson.
Otherwise: in addition to what's been mentioned, there are two Naxos CDs of Pizzetti's orchestral work, and a fine Cello Sonata on the Bulgarian label Gega New.
Sounds intriguing Mark! :-)
Best, P.