Bettinelli believed in a characteristic 'Italian' idiom that emerged at the turn of the century, interpreting it freely to adapt its techniques to the international musical vocabulary of his time.
Performer Biography
Davide Ficco, a guitarist on this album, received a diploma with honours and multiple merit diplomas from the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, and also holds the title of Guitar Performer from the Royal College of Music in London.
Composer Biography
Bruno Bettinelli (1913-2004) was a leading Italian composer of the 20th century, whose extensive catalogue includes stage works, seven symphonies, numerous orchestral pieces, concertos, and choral-orchestral works.
Performer Biography
Manuela Custer, the mezzo-soprano on this album, has performed in prestigious venues worldwide and worked with renowned conductors such as Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Riccardo Chailly.
Compositional Technique
Bettinelli's chamber music often involved reworking conventional forms and instrumentations, sometimes for specific occasions or commissions, such as his pieces for guitar.
Composer Biography
Bettinelli was known as the "maestro di maestri" (master of masters) due to his exemplary teaching career at the Milan Conservatory, where he mentored many successful students.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bettinelli eschewed extra-musical messages and trends, writing music that was idiomatically unadulterated, formally clear, and made cautious use of free tonality.
