Casella: Symphony No. 2 & La donna serpente Suite No. 1

Featuring

Fabrizio Ventura
Sinfonieorchester Münster
Alfredo Casella

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Composition History

Alfredo Casella's Second Symphony, composed in 1908/09, is considered an homage to Gustav Mahler, whose 'Resurrection Symphony' premiered in Paris six days before Casella's.

Performer Biography

Fabrizio Ventura, the conductor on this album, has served as General Music Director in Meiningen, Istanbul, and Münster, and has conducted opera productions at royal opera houses in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo.

Critical Reception

Alfredo Casella's Second Symphony was rarely performed after its premiere in 1910 and remained in manuscript form for 80 years, never published during his lifetime.

Composer Biography

Alfredo Casella, born in Turin in 1883, studied piano and composition in Paris with Gabriel Fauré and remained there for nearly twenty years.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Alfredo Casella was among the first to recognize Gustav Mahler's significance and introduced his works to French audiences.

Compositional Technique

The first movement of Alfredo Casella's Second Symphony begins with timpani, tam-tam, bass drum, and bells, evoking a funeral atmosphere similar to Gustav Mahler's 'Totenfeier'.

Compositional Technique

The fourth movement of Alfredo Casella's Second Symphony quotes Dante's 'Purgatorio' from the 'Divina Commedia', signaling a transformation in the music's character.