Patrick Gallois, the flutist and conductor on this album, studied flute with the renowned Jean-Pierre Rampal at the Paris Conservatoire from the age of seventeen.
Composition History
Mercadante wrote a significant number of instrumental works featuring the flute between 1814 and 1820, which was unusual for opera-focused Italy at the time.
Composer Biography
Mercadante was praised by Gioachino Rossini, a famous Italian opera composer, during Rossini's visit to the Naples conservatory in 1817.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mercadante's interest in the flute, an instrument not yet fully developed at the time, stemmed from his conservatory life where he was inspired by virtuoso teachers and fellow students.
Recording & Production
The performances on this album are based on recently created critical editions of Mercadante's flute concertos, as some original manuscripts were incomplete or lacked instrumentation details.
Composer Biography
Saverio Mercadante, the composer, studied five different instruments and composition at the Royal College of Music in Naples between 1808 and 1819.
Composer Biography
Mercadante composed over sixty operas, which form the largest part of his musical catalog, followed by sacred music and then instrumental works.
