GIAN CARLO MENOTTI

Gian Carlo Menotti passed away recently - in 2007 - and had been a force in musical life for over half a century. Born in Italy, he became a friend of Samuel Barber while studying, and it was largely this friendship which encouraged him to move to the USA. THough his home was in the USA, he always considered himself to be an Italian composer.

Menotti had great success wit several operas, establishing himself as a leading opera composer of the post-war period. There is a natural, innate lyricism to his musical language; an unabashed delployment of attractive melodies, which allows him to communicate directly to a large audience who, in general, share his musical taste, loving the things he loved.

Menotti’s instrumental and vocal concert music has not attracted as much attention as his stage works, but his cantatas, concertos, song-cycles and other works all share the same musical virtues and attractiveness, creating vivid and compelling musical images, and benefitting from his instinctive sense of drama.

This recording features some of his best chamber music: a brand new recording of the Trio for violin, clarinet and piano, alongside

Five Songs
Cantilena e Scherzo for harp and string quartet
Canti Della Lontananza