Psalms Psalms 1 41

The sumptuous music of Giovanni Paolo Colonna is brought to life in this concert recording to honour Bologna’s patron saint at the Chapel of San Petronio Basilica – the very place in which this great musician was organist and chapel master in the mid-17th century.

1978 World Premiere Recording: Leonard Bernstein created this work in the late '70's - 1980. Songfest followed on the heels of the ill-fated but brilliant musical 1600 Pensylvania Avenue. Although devistated by 1600's one-week run on Broadway, Bernstein went on to compose several other works before his death in 1991. Songfest represents in my opinion, the finest of his late life works. Here we have the concept of putting 20th Century American Poetry to music. The result is a theatrical and powerful sounding work.