Marta Vulpi & Antonio Luciani - Flowers of Thought (2017)

While in England, I came across two late 19th-century Italian composers, Luigi Arditi and Francesco Paolo Tosti, who gained considerable acclaim in the UK for their chamber music. This encounter inspired me to explore their works. In the royal salons, their mostly vocal compositions thrived, but back in Italy, they faced underestimation from the mainstream musicological community, which often favored opera over romanza da salotto. This bias persisted despite contributions from renowned poets like D’Annunzio, Negri, and Costa, who penned unforgettable lyrics for this genre. The surnames of Arditi and Tosti, translating to “Brave” and “Tough” respectively, amusingly made me wonder if they might reflect traits of their personalities.

Giovanni Sgambati’s “Quattro Melodie Op. 35” and Ferruccio Busoni’s “L’album Vocale Op. 30” further informed my exploration. Busoni and Sgambati, particularly the latter, remain regrettably under-recognized in contemporary Italy. Busoni, once hailed as an heir to Franz Liszt, is mostly celebrated for his piano transcriptions. Sgambati, endorsed by Wagner and published by his German firm, remains more a subject of musicological interest than performance.

This brings us to “FIORI DEL PENSIERO: Sgambati, Arditi, Busoni & Tosti.”

In Sgambati’s “Quattro melodie”, there exists a profound interplay between piano and voice, supported by harmonious richness. Not only a brilliant pianist, Sgambati was also a sophisticated symphonist attuned to the dialogue between instruments.

From Arditi, I selected four diverse pieces to showcase his creative breadth. Busoni’s Op. 30 presents further piano virtuosity. His “Il fiore del pensiero”, which inspired this album’s title, is a poignant reflection on love and loss, eloquently juxtaposing a fading summer flower with the fleeting life of a loved one.

Finally, Francesco Paolo Tosti’s works intriguingly intertwine nature with human existence. “Addio”, adapted from GTWythe-Melville’s “Goodbye”, evokes autumnal sentiment. Its popularity soared after featuring in a film with Deanna Durbin. And as a tribute to Enrico Caruso, “Io ti sento” provides a cinematic finish to the album.

Enjoy the music!