Charming salon miniatures and a grand funeral march by the verismo composer of La Gioconda.
Ponchielli’s career developed during a rapidly evolving era in Italian musical culture that posterity squeezed him between Verdi on the one hand and his own students, Mascagni and Puccini on the other, though he hardly lacked for popular or academic recognition in his own time. Born in 1834, Ponchielli had written a symphony by the age of 10 and started out as a bandmaster for the wind ensembles which were centres of amateur music-making in Italian towns comparable to the choirs in the UK and Germany.
While Ponchielli belatedly won wider fame with I promessi sposi in 1874, his death from pneumonia in 1886 cut him off in his prime with only one acknowledged operatic masterpiece to his name: La Gioconda, Boito’s adaptation of a Victor Hugo story. However, he continued to write instrumental pieces at the height of his fame. Most of the pieces issued here were published in the 1870s and 1880s, and some of them are far more substantial than mere album-leaves. Yet they are hardly known at all; Riccardo Muti recorded an orchestration of the sombre and touching Elegia funebre from 1881, but Ester Fusar Poli’s new recording is the only available version of the piano original.
Even more imposing in scale is the 16-minute Funeral March which Ponchielli wrote late in 1872 to honour the passingof the publisher Francesco Lucca. However, no Ponchielli album would be complete without a version of the ‘Dance of the Hours’ immortalised by Walt Disney’s hippos in Fantasia. Between these two poles of Ponchielli’s output, Ester Fusar Poli presents a beguiling sequence of elegies, nocturnes, polkas and tone-poems, demonstrating the composer’s expressive range and deft piano writing. An extensive essay by Gabriele Galleggiante Crisafulli considers Ponchielli’s piano output in the context of his career as a whole, making this album an important contribution to our understanding of a figure who was much more than a ‘one-work composer’.
- Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886) was an Italian composer and musician known for his significant contributions to the world of opera. While he is most recognized for his opera "La Gioconda”, Ponchielli also made remarkable accomplishments in the realm of piano music.
- Born in Cremona, Italy, Ponchielli began his musical journey as a pianist and organist. His skills as a pianist were evident in his compositions, which were infused with virtuosic piano passages and expressive melodies. Ponchielli's piano works showcased his technical prowess and his ability to evoke a wide range of emotions through music.
- One of his notable piano compositions is "Dance of the Hours," which was originally written as a ballet music piece for his opera "La Gioconda." This lively and enchanting piece has become one of Ponchielli's most recognized works, often performed as a standalone piano piece. Its sparkling melodies, intricate rhythms, and dynamic contrasts demonstrate Ponchielli's mastery of the piano as an instrument of musical expression.
- In addition to "Dance of the Hours," Ponchielli composed other piano pieces such as nocturnes, character pieces, and études. His compositions often reflected the romantic style of the 19th century, characterized by rich harmonies, lyrical melodies, and dramatic contrasts.
- Played by Ester Fusar Poli, a highly talented young Italian pianist, who took lessons among others with Roberto Prosseda.
