Mercadante, who became blind in his later years, had to dictate his compositions, yet still achieved monumental success with his opera Virginia in 1866.
Composer Biography
Saverio Mercadante, the composer, entered the Collegio San Sebastiano in Naples thanks to a free place secured by his mother's deception about his birth date.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mercadante's flute compositions are characterized by the influence of vocal writing, blending lyricism with instrumental virtuosity.
Cultural Impact
One of Mercadante's operas, Donna Caritea, featured a chorus that became Italy's national anthem before the country's unification.
Performer Biography
Gian-Luca Petrucci, the flutist on this album, is also an essayist who has published historical studies and monographs on composers like Saverio Mercadante and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Critical Reception
In the second half of the 20th century, Mercadante's instrumental music, rather than his operas, led to his rediscovery as a leading figure in 19th-century music.
Critical Reception
Franz Liszt, the Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist, praised Mercadante's operas in 1838, calling them "without comparison the most correct and the best orchestrated of all those I have heard."
You might also enjoy...
The Early Victor Recordings, Vol. 2
F. & C. Doppler: The Complete Flute Music, Vols. 11 & 12
Sollima: 4 Strings
Bach: Harpsichord Concertos Transcribed for Mandolin
