Leoncavallo: Piano Works

Featuring

Dario Müller
Ruggero Leoncavallo

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Composer Biography

Ruggero Leoncavallo, the composer of these piano works, lived in Paris from 1882 to 1889, earning a living by teaching singing and playing piano in cafés.

Compositional Technique

Some pieces, like "Menuet d'Arlequin" and "Cortège de Pulcinella," draw inspiration from the stylized situations and feelings of Commedia dell'arte.

Compositional Technique

Leoncavallo's piano works often show a strong influence of French musical culture, despite their brevity.

Performer Biography

Dario Müller, the pianist on this recording, studied with Ilonka Deckers and Jürg von Vintschger, and also received lessons from the renowned Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli.

Composition History

The pieces "Papillon" and "Invocation à la Muse" are piano transcriptions of movements from Leoncavallo's 1886 symphonic poem "La nuit de mai," based on a poem by Alfred de Musset.

Compositional Technique

Other works, such as "Sérénade napolitaine" and "Tarantelle," incorporate popular songs and dances, reflecting a taste for local folklore or exoticism.