Mercadante's admiration for Rossini, a composer who praised him in 1817, was constant throughout his career, leading him to use many Rossinian themes in his own works.
Composer Biography
Mercadante's operatic career began successfully in 1819 with his opera L'apoteosi di Ercole, commissioned for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.
Interpretation
Patrick Gallois, the flautist and conductor on this album, rewrote the second flute part of Mercadante's Concerto for Two Flutes to provide equal virtuosity and musicality for both flutes.
Composition History
Mercadante's Concerto for Two Flutes in D major is unique in his catalog and rare in the flute repertoire of its time, with few comparable works in Italy.
Composer Biography
Saverio Mercadante, a pupil at the Naples Conservatory from 1808 to 1819, studied multiple instruments including violin, cello, bassoon, clarinet, and flute, alongside composition.
Composer Biography
Despite losing his sight in 1862, Mercadante continued to compose until his death in 1870, holding the directorship of the Naples Conservatory.
Composition History
Of Mercadante's six flute concertos, only No. 6 in D major was published during his lifetime, appearing between 1818 and 1819.
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Mercadante: Flute Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 6 / Theme and Variations in A Major
