Andrea Boscutti, the pianist on this album, has won several national and international piano competitions and performed as a soloist and in chamber ensembles across Italy and Europe.
Composer Biography
Giacomo Orefice (1865-1922) initially studied law but chose a musical career as a pianist, composer, and teacher at the Conservatory of Milan.
Composition History
The collection "Quadri di Böcklin" was inspired by six paintings by Swiss symbolist painter Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901), making Orefice one of about twenty musicians inspired by Böcklin between 1890 and 1923.
Critical Reception
A 1918 review in "La nuova musica" praised Orefice's "Preludi del mare" as a revelation, surpassing his earlier works in thematic beauty, emotional depth, and charm.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Orefice's piano works are mostly short, evocative pieces with programmatic titles inspired by poetic texts, paintings, nature, and scenes from life.
Compositional Technique
In "Quadri di Böcklin," Orefice uses a 'sound palette' to express emotions from Böcklin's paintings, often depicting sorrow and solitude, and incorporating musical instruments or singing references from the artworks.
Composition History
Orefice's opera "Chopin" was conceived by orchestrating the Polish composer's famous piano pieces, a choice that drew harsh criticism from music critics of the time.
