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Dall'Alba
al Tramonto
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Dall'Alba
al Tramonto, based on a set of poems by Giovanni
Pascoli, was written in 2006 for the splendid Italian
duo of Alessandro Maffucci (tenor) and Roberto Russo
(piano). The première was given on Saturday
April 21st at Pieve Romanica di San Leolino, Panzano
in Chianti, Italy. It received further performances
in Italy before the work was toured in the UK. Concerts
here included St. James's Piccadilly (London) and
a sell-out performance at the Italian Cultural Institute.
Plans are in progress for a recording of the work
in 2008, but in the meantime the second movement
can be heard on the Listen page of this website.
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Introduction
to the Work
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Giovanni
Pascoli (1855-1912) was one of Italy's best-loved
poets. He studied at the University of Bologna,
a period when he flirted with socialism, graduating
in Greek literature in 1882. He went on to teach
in several high schools before succeeding his tutor,
Giosuè Carducci, as professor in literature
in Bologna. By this time his leanings were of a
nationalist, patriotic character, and his subsequent
poetry had a marked influence on later Italian poets.
He settled in Barga (Garfagnana) with his sister
Mariù.
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Pascoli's
house near Barga |
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His early
life was marked by tragedy, the murder of his father
and early deaths of his mother, sisters and brothers.
This, his patriotism, and love of nature are highly
influential on his poetry and I have chosen to set
Dall'Alba Al Tramonto (Myracae, 1891) as it encapsulate
these most important features. But alongside these
aspects, within this musical setting are the bells
of Barga which were both a stimulus and source of
comfort to Pascoli. The three notes (bells), which
open the work, are heard in a variety of forms,
rhythms and indeed emotions - and often, when writing
myself within earshot of the bells, I included what
I heard at any one moment. Although this introduced
an element of chance, I was intrigued with how often
their extraordinary harmonies, overtones and indeed
characters, matched the poetry and the effect that
I wanted.
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The
Duomo, Barga
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Photos:
Frances Stimpson
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Movements
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I Alba Festiva (Dawn
Festival)
II Speranze e Memorie (Hopes and Memories)
III Scalpitio (Hooves)
IV Il Morticino (The Dead Child)
V Il Rosicchiolo (The Crust of Bread)
VI Patria (Homeland)
VII La Cucitrice (The Seamstress)
VIII Sera Festiva (Evening Festival)
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© Michael Stimpson 2007 |
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