Caramia

Listening to a live recording of a concert is an enthralling moment of communion with the artists, even after years. No studio recording, where the result aimed at making an unnatural highest perfection, can communicate the electricity of a “live” performance, even with some bumps in the road or without optimal sound conditions. With this series, we hope to revive the emotions that have accompanied our presence at the concert hall, in close proximity with great artists and great music.

Retro Mania contains the defining tracks of the decade and features some of the biggest hits from artists including DJ Aristocrat, Dessy Slavova, Mark Lower, Gee Sailod, The Noise, Tokyo Cub and many more.

Franco Gulli (1926-2001) was one of the finest violinists of the 20th century. He began his violin studies at five at his father's music school in his native Trieste, Italy. After graduation from the Conservatory of Trieste in 1944, he debuted at the Teatro Verdi, performing Beethoven's Violin Concerto. He was the concertmaster of the Milan Chamber Orchestra and soloist with I Virtuosi di Roma. He performed all over the world with leading orchestras with such artists as Menuhin and Rostropovich. In addition to his solo career, he was dedicated to chamber music. In the 1940s he formed a duo with his pianist wife, Enrica Cavallo, and their collaboration extended for many years. He formed the Trio Italiano d'Archi with violist Bruno Giuranna and cellist Giacinto Caramia. Gulli's discography as soloist and chamber musician is extensive. Equally renowned as a teacher, he taught at Indiana University in Bloomington from 1972 until his death.

In these two string trios may be heard the voice of the young Beethoven at its most personal and polished. They were composed just before and just after his critical move from Bonn to Vienna, where he proceeded to establish himself in the wake of Haydn and Mozart. Both composers cast their own contrarian shadows over Beethoven’s trios.