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Casella's music is full of vim and originality:boldly late-Romantic,rich in youthful exuberance and burgeoning orchestral promise. --Gramophone,awards issue,2010
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2 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A Russo-Germanic Symphony by an ITALIAN (?!!!) a World-Premiere Recording
10 Oct 2010
Format:Audio CD
From acquaintance with Casella's piano music, I had already known that the composer was a stylistic polyglot (the instigator of the "a la maniere" series to which Ravel also contributed). However, this first recording of his rather lengthy Symphony No.1 (slightly over 44 minutes, dating from 1904-05) was a surprise. The alternately brooding and nervously sputtering first movement sounds like it was written by a Russian futurist of the period between Myaskovsky and Shostakovich. The Slavic angst and long-arching melodies of the slow movement could have fooled me that it was by Gliere or Enescu.
For the finale, Casella allows the Germans take over. In the introduction, the fanfares of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony are not far away. In the body of the movement proper, Brucknerian sequences, unisons and brass chorales alternate with passages reminiscent of Brahms and Strauss, leading to a serene ending.
The Concerto is startling different. Although the manner is "neo-baroque," the overstuffed textures are late romantic--it sounds a great deal like the machine-age music of Honneger. Here, the quartal harmony of Hindemith and the rhythmic violence of Stravinsky amalgamate in a blast furnace, whilst effigies of the Brandenburg Concerti menacingly lumber past on conveyor belts. Somehow, I was reminded of the vague unease of Giorgio di Chirico's metaphysical paintings.
This CD is part of a four-disc series devoted to Casella's orchestral works, which includes his three symphonies. (The very Mahlerian No.2 is on Casella: Symphony No. 2 - A notte alta for Piano and Orchestra.) Francesco LaVecchia and the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma are reliable guides in this unfamiliar territory, performing with the stylistic adaptability necessary for such a chameleon-like composer, confident technique, and obvious relish.
Both works are conspicuously derivative, but Casella wears his disguses with assurance. Recommended for the adventurous--the symphony just might appeal to lovers of Russian futurists and late romantics.
For the finale, Casella allows the Germans take over. In the introduction, the fanfares of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony are not far away. In the body of the movement proper, Brucknerian sequences, unisons and brass chorales alternate with passages reminiscent of Brahms and Strauss, leading to a serene ending.
The Concerto is startling different. Although the manner is "neo-baroque," the overstuffed textures are late romantic--it sounds a great deal like the machine-age music of Honneger. Here, the quartal harmony of Hindemith and the rhythmic violence of Stravinsky amalgamate in a blast furnace, whilst effigies of the Brandenburg Concerti menacingly lumber past on conveyor belts. Somehow, I was reminded of the vague unease of Giorgio di Chirico's metaphysical paintings.
This CD is part of a four-disc series devoted to Casella's orchestral works, which includes his three symphonies. (The very Mahlerian No.2 is on Casella: Symphony No. 2 - A notte alta for Piano and Orchestra.) Francesco LaVecchia and the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma are reliable guides in this unfamiliar territory, performing with the stylistic adaptability necessary for such a chameleon-like composer, confident technique, and obvious relish.
Both works are conspicuously derivative, but Casella wears his disguses with assurance. Recommended for the adventurous--the symphony just might appeal to lovers of Russian futurists and late romantics.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Surprising and worthy 3.5 stars
24 Dec 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I wasn't sure what to expect of this disk given the reviews (here and elsewhere) and the liner notes I perused before listening ("dogging Stravinsky's footsteps" of writing in a wide range (too-wide?) of music). The jewel case evens warns of "crepuscular sonorities", whatever that might be, that sent a shiver up my spine and prompted me to keep a small tube of hydrocortisone handy. I am happy to report that I listened all the way through without harm. In fact, I found the disk pleasing and a good bit of fun. What others found to be troublesome (jumping about stylistically from movement to movement), I found novel and engaging. This first symphony was composed when Casella was just 23, so there is a certain amount of finding oneself that is to be expected, but I thought the presentation was an enjoyable buffet. As noted by others, the first movement owes a big debt to the Ruskies, but it comes off with a softer, Italianate patina. The chest pounding, vodka swilling drive is definitely up front, but somehow dreamier as if washed gently by the spirit of Onegin dancing in the wings. The second movement is very much what I would call romantic Italian, think Cavalleria Rusticana. You could get lost up in the clouds and need a ladder to climb back down when it's done. The final movement is unmistakably German, but again, with Italian flourishes and bridges. The liner notes claim that at least the composer avoided any French influence in the piece, but midway through that third movement, I'd swear the French impressionists pop on stage for a quick cameo. And it's all good. The last movement is alas, a bit too ambitious and the drama, more than once, goes over the top (think Nora Desmond's eyes in close up). Still, the disk is a pleasant surprise and a worthy addition to my collection. NOTE: I have over a thousand CDs and they all play on CD/DVD players and my two computers, but this one disk refuses to play on my computers. If you plan to listen exclusively on your computer, play it safe and get the download.
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