IDAGIO | Casella: Concerto for Orchestra - Pagine di guerra

Featuring

Francesco La Vecchia
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma
Alfredo Casella

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Performer Biography

Francesco La Vecchia, the conductor on this recording, founded several orchestras and festivals and has conducted over a hundred leading orchestras worldwide.

Composer Biography

Alfredo Casella, a versatile Italian musician, made his US debut in 1921 as a piano soloist, conductor of his own work, and composer, all in one afternoon.

Cultural Impact

Giacomo Puccini, a famous Italian opera composer, became an admirer of Casella's music after the premiere of 'Pagine di guerra' and incorporated Casellian influences into his final opera, 'Turandot'.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Casella aimed to create an art that was not only Italian but also European, seeking to move beyond the melodramatic atmosphere prevalent in his generation.

Critical Reception

The orchestral premiere of Casella's 'Pagine di guerra' in Rome in 1919 was notable for being one of his first Italian performances without protest or scandal.

Composition History

Casella's 'Pagine di guerra' ('War Pages') was inspired by silent cinema newsreel images, which were his and many people's introduction to the horrors of modern warfare.

Composition History

Casella's Concerto, Op. 61, was commissioned for the 50th birthday season of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, for which Casella was the only Italian composer asked to contribute.