The 'Elegia eroica' concludes with a lullaby that incorporates 'Fratelli d'Italia' (Brothers of Italy), which later became the Italian national anthem.
Composer Biography
Alfredo Casella (1883-1947) had a remarkable ability to identify and accurately imitate the essential characteristics of other composers' styles.
Composition History
Casella's 'Symphonic Fragments from 'Le Couvent sur l'eau'' were selected by the composer himself from a ballet score that was rejected by Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes.
Performer Biography
Gianandrea Noseda, the conductor on this album, has been the Music Director of the Teatro Regio Torino since 2007 and is also the Conductor Laureate of the BBC Philharmonic.
Composer Biography
Casella's enthusiasm for Russian music was stimulated by his friendship with Maurice Ravel, a fellow student in Gabriel Fauré's composition class, who had fallen in love with Russian music earlier.
Composer's Artistic Vision
After returning to Italy from Paris, Casella made it his mission to rescue younger Italian composers from the dominance of opera and restore an instrumental tradition.
Historical Context
Casella's 'Elegia eroica' (Heroic Elegy) was written against the backdrop of Italy's entry into World War I and the enormous losses suffered in the Isonzo Offensive.
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