Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Music for Violin and Piano

Featuring

Mauro Tortorelli
Angela Meluso
Gran Duo Italiano
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

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Historical Context

Castelnuovo-Tedesco was forced to flee Italy in 1939 due to the racial laws introduced by the Fascist regime, seeking refuge in the United States.

Composer Biography

Arturo Toscanini, a renowned conductor, greatly admired Castelnuovo-Tedesco and conducted his works with the New York Philharmonic, making him practically the only contemporary Italian composer Toscanini conducted in the USA.

Compositional Technique

Castelnuovo-Tedesco frequently used acrostics in his 'Greeting Cards' series, where the musical notes for a piece's subject are derived from the letters of a person's name.

Performer Biography

The Gran Duo Italiano, featuring Mauro Tortorelli (violin/viola) and Angela Meluso (piano), has received the 'Premio Mediterraneo' for their work in rediscovering and promoting Italy's artistic and musical heritage.

Cultural Impact

After moving to Los Angeles, Castelnuovo-Tedesco taught composition to future film score legends like Jerry Goldsmith, André Previn, John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, and Henry Mancini.

Composer Biography

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, the composer, is primarily known in Italy for his guitar music and his long-standing relationship with guitarist Andrés Segovia.