Giardiniera di Verdure e Grigliate

The attached CD is dedicated to the latest winner of the 64th “Busoni” Prize, awarded “unanimously” after 28 years, the 24-year-old Russian pianist Arsenii Mun. On the album, the testimony of the extraordinary feat that took the pianist from the preliminaries to the final with the Haydn Orchestra of Trento and Bolzano conducted by Arvo Volmer: Bach: Choralvorspiel Nun komm der Heiden Heiland BWV 659; Haydn: Sonata in E flat major Hob. XVI: 52; Chopin: Three Mazurkas op. 6 no. 1, op. 17 no. 2 and no. 4; Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit; Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini op. 43 for piano and orchestra.

The idea for this album came about during the recording of its predecessor Cinema Suites (BBC Music Magazine’s “Screen Choice”, Album of the Week on WDR3 etc.), when the Morricone family sent Marco Serino a number of rarities that they hoped could also be recorded, particularly “Dedicated to Maria” (from the film The Sleeping Wife ) that the composer had dedicated to his wife. These works, along with others that Serino rediscovered in his own archives, make up the backbone of Cinema Rarities , an ideal sequel to the previous recording. After twenty years as Ennio Morricone’s chosen violinist, Serino continues his exploration of the compositions for violin and orchestra, but this time with a particular focus on pieces that, besides being less well known to the wider public, all share a degree of “Italianness”.

Thuille, a Savoyard, created a name for himself in Munich’s academic life. Now, if his name is known at all, it is because of his famous pupils who included Hermann Abendroth, Ernest Bloch and Walter Braunfels. His writing as a composer has been overshadowed by his reputation as a teacher. Perhaps all that will be changed by this CD. It deserves to. In fact he wrote plentifully with almost one hundred songs and six operas although I can find only three listed in my old edition of Grove.

Thuille, a Savoyard, created a name for himself in Munich’s academic life. Now, if his name is known at all, it is because of his famous pupils who included Hermann Abendroth, Ernest Bloch and Walter Braunfels. His writing as a composer has been overshadowed by his reputation as a teacher. Perhaps all that will be changed by this CD. It deserves to. In fact he wrote plentifully with almost one hundred songs and six operas although I can find only three listed in my old edition of Grove.