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Lovely, neo-Puccini Chamber music by the Italian composer Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

All the performances on this disc are world premieres. Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco was born and educated in Florence. He studied composition with Ildebrando Pizzetti and was noticed by Alfredo Casella when he was still a young man. He worked as a pianist and freelance composer until 1939. Then, sensing the approaching danger of the Second World War, he fled fascist Italy and settled in Beverly Hills, California, where he lived and worked until his death in 1968. His early music, with its distinctive use of Italian lyricism combined with the techniques of French impressionism, made him a welcome member of the Italian progressive school. He found his greatest sources of inspiration in the Bible, his Jewish heritage and in his native Tuscany. He was a great melodist and continued to compose right up until the end of his life. Towards the end he also composed music for films. His music was performed by Toscanini, Heifetz, Segovia and Piatagorsky.

Contents:

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, composer
Trio No. 1 (Trio in Sol), Op. 49
Deniz Gelenbe, piano, Fritz Gearhart, violin, Brian Manker, cello

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, composer
Quintet No. 1 (Quintetto in Fa), Op. 69
Deniz Gelenbe, piano, Eric Prichard and Hsiao-mei Ku, violin, Jonathan Bagg, viola, Fred Raimi, cello

Review:

"The spacious Italianate modal melodies, plush Orchestration, old-fangled craft, and luscious romanticism that have endeared Castelnuovo-Tedesco's guitar concertos to countless music lovers are trademarks of all his music. Certainly they are in full glory here, in the 1928 trio and 1932 quintet. Performances and recorded sound are richly persuasive and con amore. What more could you want?" (American Record Guide)