Italian

Compiled across three CDs, An Italian Romance takes the listener seamlessly from the best of the Italian songbook, to the most heartfelt tracks from Italian cinema, and the many magical moments in Italian opera. Bruno Tonioli dazzles the public every week on the panel of Strictly Come Dancing with his colourful critiques of contestants performances, and priceless insights into the world of dance, drawing on his glittering career in dance choreography over the past 40 years. Here, Bruno delivers the same in-depth knowledge as he explores the world of Italian music.

Irma Records Presents Italian Lounge Vol.4 (Beautiful Italian Songs In A Chilly Sauce) 20 original hits by the original artists. Includes tracks by the Papik, Giuseppe Milici, Kinny, Danny Losito, Orchestra Volare, Cocktail Martino, Joe Dibrutto, Zerosospiro, Matteo Brancaleoni, and more.

After his first solo album of music by Marchand and Clérambault, released in 2015 and nominated for a Preisder Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, the harpsichordist Luca Oberti, who has performed on the international scene for years alongside such figures as Marc Minkowski and Christophe Rousset, presents a new CD on the theme of Bach’s imaginary journey to Italy.

In this album, dedicated to Italian composers, the Italian Saxophone Quartet contrasts three great composers of the past, Antonio Vivaldi, Domenico Scarlatti, and Gioachino Rossini, with three extraordinary composers of film music, Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, and Nicola Piovani.

RELOAD ON FUNKY ITALIAN SOUNDTRACK OBSCURITIES WITH YET ANOTHER KILLER COMP FROM LIBRARY OF SOUND GROOVES. Once again, Semi-Automatic (the label who brought you Obscure Psychedelic Manuscripts from the Italian Cinema (1967-1975), Erotic Vibrations & Bossa Moods From The Italian Cinema (1966-1973), etc.) have curated the finest moments from 60's and 70's Italian cinema that are primed to blow your mind. Whether you dig retro freak beats, moody mod grooves, tripped out psych or are a producer looking for ripe samples, this 2LP set is for you. Includes top shelf compositions from some of the finest Italian composers including Ennio Morricone, Nora Orlandi, Cipriani, Fidenco, Guido & Maurizio de Angelis, Francesco de Masi & Alessandro Alessandroni, Gerardo Iacoucci, Berto Pisano & Jacques Chaumont, Piero Piccioni, Roberto Pregadio and many more. 25 tracks on double vinyl with gatefold sleeve. Only 750 made!

This album encompasses four piano concertos by four Italian composers, two of which are first recordings. The music, featured here in chronological order, spans an extended period of time, from 1900 to 2015. The intention of the project is clear: to propose a trajectory that through this repertoire, not so frequent among Italian composers, allows discoveries, re-discoveries and new reflections on historic works.

‘Illumination’ comprises examples of rare musical and cultural gems which were nearly lost after the Holocaust ravaged Italian-Jewish religious and cultural life. Many of the traditional Italian- Jewish ‘piyyutim’ (Hebrew spiritual/liturgical songs and poems) performed here remain widely unknown in concert halls and to the general public. The Jewish and Christian Italian cultures of the Renaissance and Baroque period were at once separate and also intricately connected, and synagogue music itself has always adapted and reflected contemporary- ostensibly unrelated melodies and styles. It was thus a natural step to present works from the early spiritual music of Jewish Italy (all whose texts were in use as early as from 1600 and even before) seen through the prism of the prevalent musical styles of the same period in which Salamone Rossi and Benedetto Marcello’s own important synagogue-based works were created: the Renaissance and Baroque periods. As specialists in early Italian music, this involved interpreting which contemporary styles of music predominant outside of the ghetto in Italy at the time were likely reflected in the Jewish works (which would themselves have been performed- during synagogue services- vocally only). The task of reviving these pieces and presenting them in the fuller context of the Italian culture that they inhabited was fascinating, as the works revealed themselves in their unique beauty and spirit.