The fruit of the apple tree

The music of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) is rooted in the tradition of Elgar, Parry and Vaughan Williams, but Bach also had a great influence on him. The program on this album features the chamber orchestra "Benedetto Marcello" under Flavio Emilio Scogna, which explores the complex personality of the British composer, taking into account the major developments in musical thought of the 20th century in context.

The three Finzi masterpieces presented here - made intimate, vivid and present by the live aspect of the recording - reflect the pre-eminent position of this unique composer in 20th century British music. Finzi's music is far removed from the experiments of the historical avant-garde, but also far removed from any backward-looking attempt to rediscover relics from the past. The cantata Dies Natalis, written over a long period between the mid-1920s and 1938/9, is scored for strings and treble voices and sets verses by the 17th century metaphysical poet Thomas Traherne (c. 1636-1674).

In his cantata, Finzi reflects on the Christian life and on service, philosophy, happiness, desire and childhood, as well as the composer's concern for the brevity of human existence and the life experiences that blur the innocent state of childhood, embodied in Traherne's immaculate vision of the world from a newborn's point of view. Like many of Finzi's compositions, the Prelude for Strings, conceived in the 1920s, was originally intended as part of a larger project.

Finzi's original idea was to perform it as a movement of a chamber symphony. It was later to be incorporated into an orchestral triptych on the theme of the seasons entitled The Bud, the Blossom and the Berry, which was also not realized. It is the movement "The Bud" that was eventually rewritten in the form of this prelude.

Finzi had a natural affinity with the timbre of sounds, as can be seen from the very personal composition of his Clarinet Concerto (1948/9), dedicated to Frederick Thurston, the leading British clarinettist of his day, who first performed it in September 1949 at the Three Choirs Festival under the composer's direction. Since then, the work has established itself as one of the leading clarinet concertos of the 20th century. Here, the intense and deep colors of the clarinet in Roberta Gottardi's interpretation find an extraordinary expressiveness, which is accompanied by clear naturalness and intense lyricism.

- Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) was an English composer known for his lyrical and contemplative music, often inspired by English literature and landscape. Born in London, the composer experienced numerous hardships and personal losses at a young age, which shaped much of his musical output, often reflecting themes of mortality and nostalgia. During the Second World War, he supported German and Austrian musicians fleeing from the Nazis.

- Finzi's works are characterized by their deep sensitivity to English poetry and their pastoral character. His love of literature is evident in many of his vocal works, including settings of texts by Thomas Hardy, William Wordsworth and Christina Rossetti.

- The cantata Dies Natalis, composed between 1925 and 1939, is one of Finzi's most famous works. It is a setting of texts by the 17th century poet Thomas Traherne, which deal with themes such as innocence and the wonder of a newborn experiencing the world for the first time. Scored for solo voice and strings, the work reflects Finzi's sensitive and expressive style, with lyrical vocal lines and lush orchestration that evoke a sense of spiritual reflection.

- Also performed is Finzi's Clarinet Concerto, a lively and melodic work, one of the best of its kind.

- Performed by Susanna Rigacci (soprano), Roberta Gottardi (clarinet) and the Benedetto Marcello Chamber Orchestra conducted by Flavio Scogna.