The mandolin became hugely popular in post-unification Italy, helping to spread opera repertoire among the poorer classes through transcriptions, as it could play much violin and theatrical music.
Composer Biography
Gioachino Rossini, also known as the 'Swan of Pesaro', was celebrated in 2018 on the 150th anniversary of his death.
Composition History
Rossini often composed overtures under pressure, sometimes the day before the premiere, or even by reusing existing music from other operas.
Performer Biography
The Quintetto a Plettro 'Giuseppe Anedda' is named after Giuseppe Anedda, a virtuoso mandolin player who worked to restore the instrument's place in concert halls and promote its classical repertoire.
Compositional Technique
Rossini's overtures typically follow a solid structure: a slow introduction, followed by a main section in a sonata-like form without development, featuring an exposition, modulation, and recapitulation.
Recording & Production
Four of the overtures on this album feature modern arrangements by Michele Di Filippo, who is deeply familiar with the Quintetto a Plettro 'Giuseppe Anedda' and their sound.
Cultural Impact
The mandolin's popularity in Italy was further boosted when Queen Margherita of Savoy chose it as her favorite instrument, collecting beautiful mandolins from renowned southern Italian luthiers.
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