IDAGIO | Casella: Symphony No. 1 - Concerto for Piano, Timpani, Percussion and Strings 747313241378

Featuring

Francesco La Vecchia
Desirée Scuccuglia
Antonio Ceravolo
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma
Alfredo Casella

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Composition History

Alfredo Casella, the composer, wrote his Concerto for Strings, Piano, Timpani and Percussion, Op. 69, in less than three weeks while recovering from surgery during the Nazi occupation of Rome in 1943.

Historical Context

Composing for orchestra alone was a novelty in Italy during Alfredo Casella's youth, as Turin had only recently instituted the first permanent series of orchestral concerts in the peninsula.

Composer Biography

Alfredo Casella, the composer, was described by a friend as "the 50,000km man" due to the sheer quantity of work he crammed into his life, including composing, performing, conducting, and teaching.

Recording & Production

This album is part of a Naxos series of recordings by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, focusing on significant compositions by Italian composers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Recording & Production

The Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, featured on this album, is a rare example in Europe of a symphony orchestra that is completely privately funded.

Composer Biography

Alfredo Casella's musical education was shaped by his parents, both musicians, who were advised by leading Italian composer-performers that he would need to study north of the Alps.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Alfredo Casella, the composer, was known for his 'magpie tendencies' and a constant longing for novelty, always seeking to surpass himself and adapt to contemporary tastes.