ARTEK Recordings
Contents of the CD2 Booklet
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Nicolas Flagello was one of the 20th century¹s leading exponents of
traditional late romantic musical values. Without ever repudiating this
aesthetic outlook, he succeeded in forging a personal musical language and a
distinctive body of work shaped by his own
temperament and embodying his own unique perspective on life.
Born in New York City in 1928, Flagello grew up in a musical family with
deep roots in old-world traditions. Something of a prodigy, young Nicolas
was composing and performing publicly as a pianist before the age of ten.
While still a child, he began a long and intensive apprenticeship with composer
Vittorio Giannini, who further imbued him with the enduring values of the grand
European tradition. His study continued at the Manhattan School of Music,
where he earned both his Bachelor¹s (1949) and Master¹s (1950) degrees,
joining the faculty immediately upon graduation and remaining there until
1977. During the early l950s, he won a Fulbright Fellowship to study in
Rome, and earned the Diploma di Studi Superiori in 1956 from the Accademia
di Santa Cecilia, under the tutelage of Ildebrando Pizzetti.
During the years that followed, Flagello composed at a prodigious rate,
producing a body of work that includes six operas, two symphonies, eight
concertos, and numerous orchestral, choral, chamber, and vocal works. In
addition, he was active as a pianist and conductor, making dozens of
recordings of a wide range of repertoire from the Baroque period to the 20th
century. In 1985 a deteriorating illness brought his musical career to an
end prematurely. He died in 1994 at the age of 66.
As a composer, Flagello held with unswerving conviction to a view of
music as a personal medium for emotional and spiritual expression. This
unfashionable view, together with his vehement rejection of the academic
formalism that dominated musical composition for
several decades after World War II, prevented him from winning acceptance
from the reigning arbiters of taste for many years. However, gradually Flagello¹s
works have begun to win enthusiastic advocacy, as his music is recorded and
performed with increasing regularity. This compact disc presents five works that have never been
recorded before. They exhibit the full evolution of his creative development
and embrace the many facets of his musical personality.
The Overture Burlesca and Piano Concerto No. 2 date from the 1950s and
represent Flagello¹s early compositional phase. The Overture Burlesca was
composed in 1952, when Flagello was 24. Its first public performance was
given by the Colorado Philharmonic in 1974, under the direction of Carl
Topilow. Though brief, light, and spirited, the somewhat sinister flavor of
its thematic material produces a restless undercurrent.
Flagello sought in his early works to make his own contribution to the
romantic heritage he loved in the language that was most natural to him.
Sounding ³original² or ³different² held no appeal for him. What keeps these
early works from sounding like pale imitations is their solid construction,
intense conviction, and authenticity of expression. Providing strong support
for their surging melodies and powerful climaxes is the most thorough
attention to formal values‹motivic economy, thematic unity, and true
symphonic development, built upon contrapuntal substructures that reveal as
much appreciation for the architecture of Brahms as for the passion of
Puccini and the virtuosity of Rachmaninoff. These were the values he learned
from Giannini, yet characteristic usages‹certain turns of phrase, a
distinctive sad sweetness, and an explosive volatility of temperament‹are
distinctly Flagello¹s own and anticipate the works yet to come.
These qualities are readily apparent in the Piano Concerto No. 2,
composed in 1956 and one of the major works of Flagello¹s early phase. On
first hearing, the concerto conveys the familiar rhetoric of the genre,
replete with thundering octaves, dreamy soliloquies,
cascading arpeggios that lend an almost ³Hollywood² quality to the throbbing
melodies and fistfuls of virtuoso passagework that build to huge climaxes.
Yet despite its extroverted character, the concerto is brilliantly constructed,
its entire substance derived from the
six-note motif introduced by the piano at the outset. This motif, in a state
of continuous metamorphosis and development, forms the basis of all three
movements of the concerto.
The first movement, Allegro giusto, is an abbreviated sonata-allegro form featuring an
animated first theme in C minor and a melancholy secondary theme in A minor.
After these ideas are presented and elaborated in a variety of guises the
movement culminates in a tremendous climax that combines all the material
heard thus far.
The second movement, Andante giusto, follows without pause, and features
a warm, wistful melody in the woodwinds soon elaborated by the piano. Gradually this
melody reveals itself as an inverted form of the concerto¹s opening motif.
This is transformed into a stentorian statement before melting into the movement¹s centerpiece‹a
variant of unabashed tenderness that rises to a luxuriant climax.
Once this outpouring recedes, a rather impish transition gradually
leads to the finale: Allegro quasi presto. Almost as if to scorn the
shameless sweetness of the preceding sections, this movement proclaims
itself with a swagger, as the C minor motif from the opening movement now
appears in a raucously harmonized C Major. This theme is developed in
alternation with a minor-key inverted variant of the basic motif through the
full range of traditional virtuoso pyrotechnics. Finally, as the energy builds, the
concentration of material intensifies, and all thematic elements are
combined toward a grand finish.
Only six years separate the Second from the Third Piano Concerto, but
the differences are many. In 1959, Flagello attained his mature musical
voice‹a sort of Italianate expressionism characterized by tremendous emotional intensity and
concentration of effect, as every element is focused toward the fullest
realization of the intended expression. From this time until the late 1960s,
Flagello produced music at a rapid rate, with a remarkably high consistency
of both vision and craftsmanship. In the year 1962 alone when the Third
Piano Concerto was composed, he also wrote a Piano Sonata, a dramatic scene
called Dante¹s Farewell, the Capriccio for Cello and Orchestra, and the
first version of a Te Deum ‹all among his finest and most deeply searching
creations. However, also at this time, Flagello developed the habit of
leaving completed works in short score, intending to orchestrate them at a
later time. Unfortunately, many such works remained in this state at his
death. The Third Piano Concerto was scored in 1994 by composer Anthony
Sbordoni, who made a thorough study of Flagello¹s orchestration technique
before undertaking the task.
A comparison of the two concertos provides an illuminating example of
Flagello¹s stylistic maturation. The forms, means of development, and
aesthetic principles are essentially identical, yet the works are entirely different in effect. In the later work
there is a greater tightness of phraseology, density of texture, astringency
of harmonic language, and asymmetry of rhythm. But most important, there is a deeper, more personal
quality‹dark, brooding, restless, and agitated, frequently erupting into
cataclysmic explosions. Like the Second Concerto, the Third is based almost
entirely on a single motif, in this case a four-note descending
scale-pattern heard first in the violas at the opening of the Lento quasi
adagio introduction. A short cadenza, which recurs at key points during the
movement, leads into the Allegro vivace ma giusto, based on material derived
from the opening motif. These ideas are developed and elaborated in a series
of intensely charged episodes in various tempos. In contrast to the
primarily lyrical character of the previous concerto, the tone here is
turbulent and aggressive, until a return of the opening cadenza leads
directly into the second movement.
The Lento andante opens as the horn introduces a somber statement of the
main motif by the brasses. The piano develops this into a gloomy nocturne
whose dolorous tone is relieved by moments of bittersweet tenderness. This
leads directly into a lugubrious ³ghost-march,² whose tortured mood
culminates in a climax that seems to convey both triumph and despair.
The finale, Allegro molto, follows without pause. Its character might be
described as a demonic ³tarantella from hell,² in which the concerto¹s basic
motif predominates in clearly recognizable form. The movement pursues its
alternately grotesque and tempestuous course, finally leading to a coda
marked Con piú entusiasmo, in which the intensity reaches a febrile pitch as
the concentrated development of thematic material is focused toward a
decisive conclusion.
Vittorio Giannini composed his last opera, The Servant of Two Masters,
an opera buffa based on a play by the l8th century Italian dramatist Carlo
Goldoni, shortly before his death in 1966. Although the opera was
essentially complete, Giannini had not provided an overture. Several months
later, early in 1967, Flagello decided to create one, basing it entirely on
themes from the opera. A Goldoni Overture was first performed in Maiori,
Italy, under the composer¹s direction, in 1969. The short curtain-raiser
captures both the playful exuberance and tender warmth characteristic of the
opera, and of Giannini¹s music in general.
Flagello composed his Credendum for violin and orchestra in 1973,
dedicating it to the memory of his father, who had died shortly after its
completion. The work was not orchestrated until 1985, in preparation for its premiere performance by
violinist Ansgarius Aylward, with the Buffalo Philharmonic under the
direction of Semyon Bychkov. The title Credendum suggests a profession of
belief, expressed here through a highly emotional
statement in one rhapsodic movement. Although anchored in tonality at
strategic structural points, the work conveys a sense of restless
instability through long passages without a strong tonal center.
Credendum opens with an impassioned violin soliloquy that presents three
short motifs within its opening moments. These motifs are developed by the violin through
a succession of brief episodes evoking intensely contrasting emotional
states, ranging from passages of mystery and contemplation to moments of
jarring nervous agitation that erupt in tumultuous tutti explosions. Toward
the work¹s conclusion these shifts of affect seem to resolve into a warmly
heartfelt hymn whose Iyricism is made all the more touching by its
juxtaposition within a context of such turbulence. However, even this emotional oasis culminates in
an anguished climax, followed by an epilogue of sad resignation. Obviously the expression
of belief suggested by the title is thoroughly abstract, its meaning left to
the imagination of the listener.
-Walter Simmons
David Amos is one of the leading figures in the revival of interest in the
raditionalist wing of 20th-century American composers. His many recordings
of works by Alan Hovhaness, Paul Creston, Arnold Rosner, Vincent
Persichetti, Vittorio Giannini, Nicolas Flagello, and others have attracted
the attention of a generation of listeners previously unaware of this music.
Indeed, his path-breaking recordings have even inspired other conductors to
investigate this exciting repertoire, so long neglected. Born in Mexico
City, Amos received his training at San Diego State University, supplemented
by graduate work in conducting at the University of Indiana. His
wide-ranging career has taken him around the world to lead such orchestras
as the Israel Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal
Philharmonic, and the New Russia Orchestra, to name just a few. Amos is also
the founder of the Intemational Musicians¹ Recording Fund, an organization
dedicated to the promotion of worthy but lesser-known 20th-century music.
Tatjana Rankovich was born in Belgrade, in the former Yugoslavia, where she
won three first prizes in national competitions by the time she reached the
age of 18. Coming to the United States the following year, she studied at
the Juilliard School, where she earned Bachelor¹s and Master¹s Degrees and
won the Judelson Award. Her teachers have included Josef Raieff, Benjamin
Kaplin, Zelma Bodzin, and Clifton Matthews. Ms. Rankovich has concertized
throughout the United States, Europe, and South America, winning awards at
the Young Keyboard Artists International Competition and the Artists
International Auditions. Her frequent appearances as soloist with the
Belgrade Radio Symphony have been broadcast live on radio and television.
Ms. Rankovich is currently on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music
and the Dalcroze School
of Music.
Although she is a gifted interpreter of the standard piano repertoire
from Bach through Ravel, Ms. Rankovich has become an enthusiastic advocate
for American music. She has revived little-known masterworks by such
composers as Nicolas Flagello, Vittorio Giannini, and Paul Creston,
featuring them on her recital programs and recordings.
Ms. Rankovich¹s performances and recordings of the music of Nicolas
Flagello have received lavish praise. A Fanfare critic wrote, ³More than
simply an accomplished pianist, she is an intelligent artist, capable of
bringing to life a work that has never been played before, and making it
sound like an
established masterpiece.² These sentiments were echoed by Internet critic
Steve Schwartz, who wrote, ³The performances communicate marvelously.
Rankovich strikes me as a thinking musician, rather than as a set of
fingers.² The American Record Guide found her Flagello performances
³thrilling,² while the Scranton Times described them as ³stimulating,
technically adept and convincing.²
Elmar Oliveira has taken his place as one of the most
commanding violinists of our time, with his unsurpassed
combination of impeccable artistry and old-world elegance. Mr. Oliveira is
one of a few major artists committed to the entire spectrum of the violin
world constantly expanding the
traditional repertoire boundaries as a champion of contemporary music and
rarely heard works of the past, devoting energy to the development of the
young artists of tomorrow, and
enthusiastically supporting the art of modern violin and
bow makers.
Among his generation¹s most honored artists, Elmar Oliveira remains the
first and only American violinist to win the Gold Medal at Moscow¹s
Tchaikovsky International Competition. He is also the only violinist to
receive the coveted Avery Fisher Prize, in addition to capturing First
Prizes at the Naumberg International Competition and the G.B. Dealey
Competition.
Mr. Oliveira¹s rigorous itinerary includes the Chicago, Boston, San
Francisco, National, Seattle, Dallas, Baltimore, New Zealand, St. Louis,
Pittsburgh and London Symphonies; the Cleveland, Leipzig Gewandhaus,
Minnesota, Zurich Tonhalle, and Philadelphia Orchestras; and the New York,
Los Angeles, and London Philharmonics. He has toured the Far East, South
America, and Australia.
Mr. Oliveira¹s repertoire is among the most diverse of any of today¹s
pre-eminent artists. He has
premiered works by such distinguished composers as Morton Gould, Ezra
Laderman, Charles Wuorinen, Joan Tower, Andrzej Panufnik, Benjamin Lees,
Nicholas Flagello, Leonard Rosenman, Hugh Aitken, Richard Yardumian, and
Krzysztof Penderecki. He has also performed seldom heard concerti by Alberto
Ginastera, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Joseph Joachim, and many others.
A prodigious recording artist, Elmar Oliveira is a two time Grammy
nominee for his CD of the Barber Concerto with Leonard Slatkin and the Saint
Louis Symphony. His best selling new recording of the Rautavaara Violin
Concerto with the Helsinki Philharmonic has won him tremendous acclaim,
including the 1998 Cannes Classical Award and Gramophone¹s ³Editor¹s
Choice². Two current, historically significant recordings feature Mr. Oliveira: The Miracle
Makers, for which he performs on thirty great Stradivari and Guarneri del
Gesu violins, and a compact disc highlighting the Library of Congress¹ rare
violin collection.
Elmar Oliveira performs on an instrument known as the ³Lady Stretton,²
made by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu in 1726.
1. Overture Burlesca 4:26
Piano Concerto No. 2
2. Allegro giusto 10:07
3. Andante giusto 8:38
4. Allegro quasi presto 7:31
5. Credendum for Violin and Orchestra 14:13
6. A Goldoni Overture 5:40
Piano Concerto No. 3
7. Lento quasi adagio; Allegro vivace ma giusto 8:15
8. Lento trascinato 6:24
9. Allegro molto 6:31
Recorded in June 1995 in Kosice, Slovakia
Producer: Rudolph Hentsel
Engineer: Gejza Toperczer
Executive Producer: Walter Simmons
Graphic Design: Jim Manly
Cover Painting: Abruzzi
Painting Photo: Berit Schumann
Elmar Oliveira, Violin
Tatjana Rankovich, Piano
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice
David Amos, Conductor