Music Italy

London Baroque offers another installment in its ongoing European Trio Sonata series, this time devoted to 18th-century Italy; as with the ensemble’s previous efforts the program features generally excellent performances of lesser-known repertoire. Ten years ago I reviewed a similar 18th-century Italian program by this same group titled “Stravaganze Napoletane”, also on BIS, and was generally impressed with the performances–except for one piece: Domenico Gallo’s Sonata No. 1 in G major.

A Night in Italy might really have been more accurately titled One Night 40 Years Ago in Italy. The most recent track is from 1973, and most are from the 1950s and 1960s. On the relatively sedate and charming "'A Tazza 'e Caffe" (1956), Nicola Arigliano comes across something like an Italian fadisto with a mandolin; Ferruccio Tagliavini's "Non Ti Scordar di Me" features a gorgeous accompaniment conducted (and, one suspects, arranged) by the genius Ennio Morricone; and there's simply no arguing with the charms of Domenico Modugno's "Volare."Sophia Loren does acquit herself quite nicely on "Che M'e 'Mparato a Ffa," though. This disc might make for some good, ironic fun at a hipster party.

For his third album for Chandos, the saxophonist Marco Albonetti turns to the rich tradition of film music from his native Italy.

This set presents an extensive collection of works which George Frideric Handel wrote during his short but astoundingly fruitful stay in Italy. Here he met the great composers of the day, imbuing the rich Italian style, full of drama, cantabile and instrumental brilliance.