Cilea Collection (Italian Romantics)

Cilea Collection (Italian Romantics)
Composer Francesco Cilea, Leonardo Leo, Raffaele Cacciola
Artist Enrico Bronzi & Jacopo Di Tonno cello
Massimo Quarta & Ilaria Cusano violin
I Virtuoso Del Teatro All Scala
Filippo Arlia conductor
Domenico Codispoti, Pier Paolo Vincenzi, Marco Gaggini & David Boldrini piano
Lenny Lorenzani soprano
Format 5 CD
Cat. number 97197
EAN code 5028421971971
Release March 2025

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About this release

The most complete set ever issued of the non-operatic music by the composer best known for verismo masterpieces such as L'arlesiana and Adriana Lecouvreur.
Born in Palmi (in the Calabrian province of Italy) in 1866, at the tender age of seven Cilea was sent to Naples to study law. He found the idea of becoming a musician far more attractive, however, having been entranced by a performance of Bellini’s Norma at the age of four. Against his parents’ wishes he enrolled at the city’s conservatoire in Naples to study piano, harmony and counterpoint. There he proceeded to excel, and he soon came to the notice of the influential publishers Sonzogno.
The scores by which we know Cilea were written within a relatively short period of 15 years either side of the turn of the last century. The failure of his last opera Gloria in 1907 (despite the presence of Toscanini on the podium) hit Cilea’s confidence badly. He effectively retired from writing for the stage, but he continued to compose in other genres, resulting in most of the music featured here.
The orchestral suites, chamber music and songs share with his better-known operas a cultivated gift for melody, but the Suite for Violin and the Piccola Suite for Orchestra (CD1) reveal Cilea’s careful attention to counterpoint and scoring as well as an approach to tonal harmony that reflects his awareness of innovation, especially among French composers of the period.
The Cello Sonata and Piano Trio on CD2 predate his operatic career, being written in the late 1880s in a more Brahmsian vein. He composed the piano works on CD3-4 through the course of his career, but around 1900 he began to alternate more conventional pieces (aimed at middleclass Italian audiences steeped in opera) with more novel experiments in timbre, such as Au village Op.34, which features a witty interplay of echoes and interwoven voices.
Many of the piano pieces are also essentially neoclassical in spirit, like the concertante suites on CD1, whereas the songs on CD6 belong to the salon, while embodying Cilea’s lifelong love of the human voice: 'The true instrument of expression of the passions is the divine human voice, with which no instrument can ever rival'. All the recordings in this set were made in Italy by native musicians, steeped in Cilea’s idiom, within the last 10 years, and received critical praise when first issued.

- A new issue in the attractive and innovative series “Italian Romantics”, featuring Italian composers from the turn of the 19/20th century in instrumental music.
- Francesco Cilea (1866-1950) is best known for his operas, particularly "Adriana Lecouvreur." However, his contributions to instrumental music are equally valuable. Though less renowned than his operatic output, Cilea's instrumental works exhibit a melodic richness and emotional depth characteristic of the Romantic era. The orchestral works show his mastery of lyrical themes and dramatic expression. His works are imbued with a sense of Italianate warmth and passion, reflecting the composer's deep connection to his native land.
- This collection presents orchestral and concertante works, a cello sonata and piano trio, and the complete piano music.
- Artists include I Virtuosi della Scala (Filippo Arlia, conductor), Enrico Bronzi (cello) and Pier Paolo Vincenzi (piano).

Track list

Disk 1

  1. Francesco Cilea: Suite in E Major for Violin & Orchestra: I. Andante appassionato
  2. Francesco Cilea: Suite in E Major for Violin & Orchestra: II. Tempo di minuetto (Allegretto)
  3. Francesco Cilea: Suite in E Major for Violin & Orchestra: III. Andante sostenuto
  4. Francesco Cilea: Suite in E Major for Violin & Orchestra: IV. Allegro
  5. Raffaele Cacciola: Il Canto Dell’Amore (arr. Cacciola)
  6. Leonardo Leo: Cello Concerto in D Major (arr. Francesco Cilea): I. Andante sostenuto e grazioso
  7. Leonardo Leo: Cello Concerto in D Major (arr. Francesco Cilea): II. Larghetto
  8. Leonardo Leo: Cello Concerto in D Major (arr. Francesco Cilea): III. Allegro con bravura
  9. Francesco Cilea: Piccola Suite for Cello & Orchestra: Introduzione alla danza
  10. Francesco Cilea: Piccola Suite for Cello & Orchestra: I. Danza moderato
  11. Francesco Cilea: Piccola Suite for Cello & Orchestra: II. Notturnino andante sostenuto
  12. Francesco Cilea: Piccola Suite for Cello & Orchestra: III. Alla marcia allegro giusto

Disk 2

  1. Francesco Cilea: Cello Sonata in D in D Major: I. Allegro moderato
  2. Francesco Cilea: Cello Sonata in D in D Major: II. Alla Romanza. Largo doloroso
  3. Francesco Cilea: Cello Sonata in D in D Major: III. Allegro animato
  4. Francesco Cilea: Piano Trio in D Major: I. Allegro sostenuto
  5. Francesco Cilea: Piano Trio in D Major: II. Scherzo. Presto
  6. Francesco Cilea: Piano Trio in D Major: III. Andante molto espressivo
  7. Francesco Cilea: Piano Trio in D Major: IV. Allegro con fuoco
  8. Francesco Cilea: Canto No. 2 in D Minor from vocalizzo da concerto: I. Lento doloroso
  9. Francesco Cilea: Theme and Variations (Andante sostenuto – Poco più mosso – Allegro – Andante – Moderato)

Disk 3

  1. Francesco Cilea: Tre piccoli pezzi: I. Melodia
  2. Francesco Cilea: Tre piccoli pezzi: II. Serenata
  3. Francesco Cilea: Tre piccoli pezzi: III. Danza
  4. Francesco Cilea: Chanson du rouet, Op. 4
  5. Francesco Cilea: Canto del mattino, Op. 5
  6. Francesco Cilea: La petite coquette – Air de danse, Op. 9
  7. Francesco Cilea: C’est toi que j’aime – Impromptu à la mazurka, Op. 10
  8. Francesco Cilea: Aria campestre
  9. Francesco Cilea: Flatterie, Op. 11
  10. Francesco Cilea: Mazurka, Op. 14
  11. Francesco Cilea: Badinage, Op. 15
  12. Francesco Cilea: Berceuse, Op. 20
  13. Francesco Cilea: Notturno, Op. 22
  14. Francesco Cilea: Seconda danza, Op. 26
  15. Francesco Cilea: Trois petits morceaux, Op. 28: I. Loin dans la mer
  16. Francesco Cilea: Trois petits morceaux, Op. 28: II. Feuille d’album
  17. Francesco Cilea: Trois petits morceaux, Op. 28: III. Pensée espagnole
  18. Francesco Cilea: Tre pezzi, Op. 29: I. Romanza
  19. Francesco Cilea: Tre pezzi, Op. 29: II. Scherzino
  20. Francesco Cilea: Tre pezzi, Op. 29: III. Barzelletta
  21. Francesco Cilea: Gocce di rugiada, Op. 33
  22. Francesco Cilea: Au village, Op. 34
  23. Francesco Cilea: A la mazurka, Op. 35
  24. Francesco Cilea: Valzer, Op. 36
  25. Francesco Cilea: Foglio d’album, Op. 41
  26. Francesco Cilea: Suite, Op. 42: I. Allegro
  27. Francesco Cilea: Suite, Op. 42: II. Sarabanda
  28. Francesco Cilea: Suite, Op. 42: III. Capriccio
  29. Francesco Cilea: Foglio d’album, Op. 41
  30. Francesco Cilea: Fuga reale

Disk 4

  1. Francesco Cilea: Tre pezzi, Op. 43: I. Verrà?
  2. Francesco Cilea: Tre pezzi, Op. 43: II. Acque correnti
  3. Francesco Cilea: Tre pezzi, Op. 43: III. Valle fiorita
  4. Francesco Cilea: Due pezzi: I. Risonanze nostalgiche
  5. Francesco Cilea: Due pezzi: II. Festa silana
  6. Francesco Cilea: Scherzo
  7. Francesco Cilea: Scherzando
  8. Francesco Cilea: Danza calabrese
  9. Francesco Cilea: Impromptu
  10. Francesco Cilea: Mazurka
  11. Francesco Cilea: Preludio
  12. Francesco Cilea: Vespero
  13. Francesco Cilea: Foglio d’album
  14. Francesco Cilea: Invocazione
  15. Francesco Cilea: Serenata a dispetto
  16. Francesco Cilea: Danza
  17. Francesco Cilea: Four Hands Music: Untitled in A Major
  18. Francesco Cilea: Four Hands Music: Chansonnette, Op. 31
  19. Francesco Cilea: Four Hands Music: Sentiment poétique
  20. Francesco Cilea: Four Hands Music: Amour joyeux, Op. 37
  21. Francesco Cilea: Idillio
  22. Francesco Cilea: Alla gavotte

Disk 5

  1. Francesco Cilea: Romanza
  2. Francesco Cilea: Il mio canto
  3. Francesco Cilea: Alba novella
  4. Francesco Cilea: Nel ridestarmi
  5. Francesco Cilea: Serenata
  6. Francesco Cilea: Romanza (Pianoforte Solo)
  7. Francesco Cilea: Vita breve
  8. Francesco Cilea: Ninna nanna popolare savoiarda
  9. Francesco Cilea: Maria mare (arr. D. Boldrini)
  10. Francesco Cilea: Statuit di dominus
  11. Francesco Cilea: Badinage (Pianoforte Solo)
  12. Francesco Cilea: Au village (Pianoforte Solo)
  13. Francesco Cilea: Ave Maria
  14. Francesco Cilea: Pensiero spagnolo (Pianoforte Solo)
  15. Francesco Cilea: Bionda larva
  16. Francesco Cilea: Ave Maria da Tilda (Arr. D. Boldrini)
  17. Francesco Cilea: Agnus dei
  18. Francesco Cilea: Fuga sul tema ‘Io son l’umile ancella’ da Adriana Lecouvreur