Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Music for Violin and Piano

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco was one of the most successful and remarkable composers of the first half of the 20th century in Italy. His style is influenced by Neo-Classicism, vivid, brilliant, with the occasional odd dissonance, strongly rhythmical and full of catchy melodies. He fled Anti-semitism before WWO2, and settled in Hollywood where he successfully composed film music for more than 200 films.

This new recording of music for violin and piano by Castelnuovo-Tedesco contains the rarely performed Violin Concerto for violin and piano, written for Jascha Heifetz, and describing the impressions of his forced exile to the USA fleeing the Italian fascists.

Apart from several short original works here included are transcriptions of the Intermezzi Op. 117 by Brahms and a selection of the Op. 28 Preludes by Chopin, the highly refined arrangements bringing to light a series of hidden features.

Played by two excellent Italian soloists (who incidentally gave the first performance of the Violin Concerto in Italy) violinist Fulvio Luciani and pianist Massimiliano Motterle.