Coming up on the 100th anniversery of Mahler's last concert.

[Toblacher]

February 21, 1911 at Carnegie Hall.  I'm sure we all have Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony in our collections.
Perhaps we should all play it that day.  It was on the program along with mostly forgotten works by
mostly forgotten Italian composers.

[medico2emmy]

Would love to hear some of its songs...

[chris]

Interestingly, Muti and the CSO are 'recreating' the concert in October.   


On February 21, 1911, Gustav Mahler lead the New York Philharmonic in what was to be his final public appearance. In honor of the 100th anniversary of Mahler's death, Riccardo Muti and the CSO will recreate this historic concert of all-Italian repertoire and Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony.

    * Sinigaglia  Overture to Le baruffe chiozzotte
    * Mendelssohn  Symphony No. 4 (Italian)
    * Martucci  Piano Concerto No. 2
    * Busoni  Berceuse élégiaque
    * Bossi  Intermezzi from Goldoniani

[waderice]

In addition to the Mendelssohn, I think the Busoni exists in a couple of recordings.  But the others, likely not a chance.

Wade

[Roffe]

Too pessimistic Wade,

A recording with Toscanini and the NBC Orchestra contains the Busoni and something called "Piedmont Suite", Op 36 by Sinigaglia and might contain the Overture, but most likely not, since the name "Le baruffe chiozzotte" sounds like an opera. Martucci's  Piano Concerto No. 2 exists in a recording with Francesco Caramiello and the  London Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Francesco D'Avalos (only used copies available). The "Intermezzi Goldoniani for strings", Op.127 by Bossi also exists in a recording, but is currently unavailable at amazon.com.

Roffe

[barry guerrero]

I had also thought the Busoni was the last work that he conducted on that concert. I guess not. But if so, that would mean that the very last musical sound Mahler ever heard in concert would be a solo tam-tam stroke.

[Amphissa]

There are several recordings of the Martucci Piano Concerto No. 2. It is an excellent work, as are Martucci's symphonies.

Martucci was Respighi's teacher. He was the first Italian composer NOT to compose operas. There is a very good series of CDs that pair chamber music of Martucci with Respighi. It is interesting to hear influences, but also how Respighi differed.

If you are in Chicago at the time of this performance, I highly recommend it. You might be surprised just how good those "no name" composers really were. Many of them wrote outstanding music.

It is unfortunate that the repertoire of orchestras has now shrunk to just a ferw composers, who we hear over and over and over again.