Pizzetti: Symphony in A Major & Harp Concerto in E-Flat Major
5/12/2017, 7 Tracks, 1:05:10
Featuring
Damian Iorio
Margherita Bassani
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI
Ildebrando Pizzetti
Did you know?
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Composition History
The Japanese 2600th Anniversary Celebration Committee commissioned new music from western composers, contacting six governments, including Italy, which nominated Ildebrando Pizzetti.
Composition History
Pizzetti composed the Symphony's first movement during the 'phoney war' of early 1940, and the finale as Hitler's army invaded the Low Countries.
Composer Biography
Pizzetti's Harp Concerto was written for Clelia Gatti Aldrovandi, Italy's leading harpist and the wife of his friend and biographer Guido Gatti.
Compositional Technique
Pizzetti's Symphony in A, despite its ceremonial subtitle, is far from celebratory, reflecting inner conflict and the struggle of conscience during wartime.
Composer Biography
Ildebrando Pizzetti, the composer, had a strong pedigree with the Fascist regime, running an elite composition course and writing a film score glorifying Fascist Italy's imperial expansion.
Performer Biography
Margherita Bassani, the harpist on this recording, has been principal harp with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai since 2009 and has performed as a soloist with them.
Historical Context
Pizzetti's Symphony in A was first heard in Tokyo in December 1940 as part of celebrations for the 2600th anniversary of the Japanese Empire's founding.
