Alfredo Catalani is best known today for his opera La Wally, but he also experimented with a number of orchestral works, including three symphonies. Ero e Leandro, Catalani’s last orchestral work, evokes the dramatic tragedy of the Greek mythological lovers Hero and Leander who lived on either side of the Hellespont (the modern Dardanelles). The brief Scherzo is a sparkling piece while the Andantino is noteworthy for its fluid melodic line. The bel canto lyricism of Contemplazione contrasts with Il Mattino, a single-movement Romantic symphony divided into several clearly distinguishable sections.
“The best piece, by far, is the 1884 symphonic poem Ero e Leandro...The performances, from the Rome Symphony under Francesco La Vecchia, are thrillingly intense.” The Guardian
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