Cilea: Complete Piano Music Pier Paolo Vincenzi & Marco Gaggini

• Francesco Cilea (1866-1950): Tre piccoli pezzi:
• 1 I. Melodia 01:54
• 2 II. Serenata 02:19
• 3 III. Danza 02:15
• 4 Chanson du rouet, Op. 4 02:35
• 5 Canto del mattino, Op. 5 03:13
• 6 La petite coquette - Air de danse, Op. 9 02:43
• 7 C'est toi que j'aime - Impromptu à la mazurka, Op. 10 02:48
• 8 Aria campestre 01:28
• 9 Flatterie, Op. 11 02:18
• 10 Mazurka, Op. 14 02:39
• 11 Badinage, Op. 15 02:10
• 12 Berceuse, Op. 20 02:08
• 13 Notturno, Op. 22 03:34
• 14 Seconda danza, Op. 26 01:40
• Trois petits morceaux, Op. 28:
• 15 I. Loin dans la mer 02:39
• 16 II. Feuille d'album 02:18
• 17 III. Pensée espagnole 01:40
• Tre pezzi, Op. 29:
• 18 I. Romanza 03:07
• 19 II. Scherzino 02:31
• 20 III. Barzelletta 02:48
• 21 Gocce di rugiada, Op. 33 02:49
• 22 Au village, Op. 34 01:47
• 23 A la mazurka, Op. 35 01:25
• 24 Valzer, Op. 36 01:48
• 25 Foglio d'album, Op. 41 02:00
• Suite, Op. 42:
• 26 I. Allegro 02:02
• 27 II. Sarabanda 03:36
• 28 III. Capriccio 03:25
• 29 Foglio d'album, Op. 41 (2) 01:58
• 30 Fuga reale 02:15
• Tre pezzi, Op. 43:
• 31 I. Verrà? 02:58
• 32 II. Acque correnti 02:10
• 33 III. Valle fiorita 03:55
• Due pezzi:
• 34 I. Risonanze nostalgiche 08:09
• 35 II. Festa silana 03:54
• 36 Scherzo 04:06
• 37 Scherzando 03:43
• 38 Danza calabrese 03:56
• 39 Impromptu 03:14
• 40 Mazurka 01:35
• 41 Preludio 01:36
• 42 Vespero 03:03
• 43 Foglio d'album 01:38
• 44 Invocazione 02:37
• 45 Serenata a dispetto 02:01
• 46 Danza 03:48
• Four Hands Music:
• 47 Untitled in A Major 03:31
• 48 Chansonnette, Op. 31 02:01
• 49 Sentiment poétique 02:19
• 50 Amour joyeux, Op. 37 02:53
• 51 Idillio 03:12
• 52 Alla gavotte 03:38
• Total Runtime 02:21:49

Info for Cilea: Complete Piano Music

Francesco Cilea may now be best remembered as a composer of durable, blood-and-thunder staples of the verismo operatic school such as Adriana Lecouvreur and L’Arlesiana, but he addressed himself to chamber and instrumental music at both the beginning and end of his long career. Conservative and unfailingly melodic as his chosen idiom was, it nonetheless evolved in the 66 years between student salon pieces such as the Tre piccoli pezzi of 1888 and the album-leaf of 1944.

There have been a few surveys of Cilea’s piano music on record, but none as complete as this new recording from Pier Paolo Vincenzi, who has already won critical praise on Brilliant Classics for recordings of piano rarities. A Diabelli Variations album (BC94836) gathered all the composers who had initially responded to the Viennese publisher’s request for variations on his little waltz together with the late masterpiece of variation form eventually devised by Beethoven. Vincenzi has also recorded the complete piano music of Richard Wagner (BC94450) which drew this notice from Fanfare magazine: ‘Vincenzi has the kind of sparkling, clear Italian touch one often associates with Benedetti, Michelangeli, or, more recently, Luisi. His playing alternates between seriousness and sensuality, drama and joy, and the listener is with him every step of the way… [His] performances are the recommended ones.

Vincenzi’s experience with the shavings from an operatic master’s workbench is put to telling effect by Cilea’s little suites and dances. Most pieces are around three minutes long, but all capture a mood with the deft touch of an experienced writer for the stage. Although critics have occasionally been dismissive in their appraisal of these works, the scores actually speak for the composer’s meticulous handling of his material and his delight in showing off certain features of timbre and harmony.

Francesco Cilea went into history as the composer of one opera, Adrienne Lecouvreur. However, this late romantic Italian (he lived a long life from 1866 till 1950) left a fine oeuvre of solo piano music, which is presented completely on these two CDs. The piano works are wonderfully evocative character pieces, full of subtlety and finesse, in the style of early Debussy. One of the best pieces, Acque correnti, is a Ravelian study in sonority and instrumental glitter.

Also included are the works for piano 4 hands. Italian pianist Pier Paolo Vincenzi plays with great clarity and feeling for the atmosphere of these colourful piano pieces. He already recorded piano works by Wagner (BC94450) and the Complete Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli (BC94836).

Pier Paolo Vincenzi, piano
Marco Gaggini, piano

Pier Paolo Vincenzi
Born in Orvieto in 1980, Pier Paolo Vincenzi took piano lessons while still very young in his hometown with Elisa Attioli. By the time he was 20 he had obtained a first class Diploma at the Istituto Pareggiato G. Briccialdi in Terni, under Andrea Trevisan. He then studied with Pier Narciso Masi at the Sesto Fiorentino music school, also attending many of Masi’s master classes, including those held at the Accademia Internazionale “Incontri col Maestro” in Imola, where he obtained a Masters Degree in chamber music. He also attended master classes held by teachers such as Massimiliano Damerini, Alexander Lonquich and Guido Salvetti, and the Wiener Meisterkurse under Martin Hughes. In his busy career as a concert pianist he plays in recitals and as a soloist with various orchestras and ensembles, meeting with widespread acclaim on the part of audiences and critics alike.

For Brilliant Classics he has recorded the Wagner complete piano music (2 CDs, 2013), the complete “Vaterländischer Künstlerverein” di Anton Diabelli (2 CDs, 2015) and the Cilea complete piano music (2 CDs, 2016). For Meridian Records he has recorded the complete Weber piano sonatas (2 CDs, 2016/2017).

His recordings are well reviewed by critics, radio and magazines, such as the German radio MDR - Figaro, RSI Rete due - Radiotelevisione Svizzera, WDR 5 (Germany), Rai Radio 3, ReteToscanaClassica, the "KulturSpiegel", the Süddeutsche Zeitung, "Il Venerdì di Repubblica" (... Pier Paolo Vincenzi, pianista di grande valore e preparazione ... - Claudio Strinati), Fanfare magazine (... Vincenzi has the kind of sparkling, italian touch one often associates with Benedetti Michelangeli, or more recently, Luisi, His playing alternates between seriousness and sensuality, drama and joy, and the listener is with him every step of the way ... - Lynn René Bayley), Diapason, American Record Guide (... Italian pianist Vincenti definitely knows his way on the music ... .The playing is precise, imaginative, and the variations are well contrasted ... - Alan Becker), SantaFeMexican (... Italian pianist Pier Paolo Vincenzi offers an insightful, clearly voiced interpretation of Beethoven's set - James M. Keller), ClassicalMusicGuide (... Vincenzi captures the essence of Wagner's piano music with care, heart and precision ... - Lance G. Hill) Gramophone, Cambridge University Press , Music, Classic Voice, Amadeus, La Repubblica.

He teaches piano at the Scuola comunale di Musica in Scandicci and at the Centro Studi Musica & Arte in Florence, also in a course specializing in Music Therapy. Moreover, he also teaches Chamber Music and Harmony in Florence.

He also has a degree in Electronic Engineering, which he took at the University of Perugia.

Booklet for Cilea: Complete Piano Music