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‘A volcano viewed from afar’: the Music of Salvatore Sciarrino

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2016

Nicolas Hodges
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Extract

With the exception of a few small-scale pieces programmed by the more adventurous contemporary music ensembles, the music of Salvatore Sciarrino has not been performed frequently in this country; BBC Radio 3 has given occasional airtime to larger works, but we have yet to hear much of his most important music in any form. This article should act, I hope, as a pointer to readers who might wish to explore his output on disc, which currently is really the only way to do so in this country.

Type
Research Article
Information
Tempo , Issue 194 , October 1995 , pp. 22 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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References

1 Anon, : ‘Entretien avec Salvatore Sciarrino’, in Enlretemps no.9. Paris 1991, p. 137 Google Scholar.

2 The former is available on Accord 202862, the latter (along with its companion Canzona di ringraziamento) on Koch Europa 350–229, performed by its dedicatee, Roberto Fabbriciani.

3 Sciarrino's complete piano music up to 1992 is available in authoritative performances by Massimiliano Damerini on Dynamic CDS 82. Sciarrino has only written one piano work subsequently, a Fifth Piano Sonata for Maurizio Pollini. Following its première (Salzburg, 24 August 1994) the work was withdrawn for revision and has not reappeared.

4 In the sleeve note to the above-mentioned CD.

5 Available on Ricordi CKMCD 1015. The same company have also released a recording of Lohengrin on CRMCD 1001.

6 The extraordinary Aiumorfosi (1980) for piano is made up almost entirely of material by Ravel. The piece opens with ‘I'm singing in the rain’ as a descant to Jeux d'eau (Ravel's this time, not Liszt's), while the close is furnished by une Barque sur l'ocean from Miroirs! The effect is charming, ironic and entirely Sciarrinian.

7 ‘Entretiens avec Salvatore Sciarrino’, p.136.

8 ibid.

9 It is interesting to note, however that Liszt's ending was originally the same virtuosic culmination which Sciarrino mentions in connexion with the flute piece. The process of revision can be seen in the facsimile of the manuscript published by Henle Verlag.

10 Accord 202862, performed by Massimiliano Damerini, with the choir and orchestra of Radio Sudwestfunk Baden- Baden, conducted by Ernest Bour. The performance and recording are exemplary.

11 I have based the following material on a small essay by the composer about the composition of the work which was contained in the sleeve notes for the original LP recording (FonitCetra Italia 1TL7088), but omitted from the CD booklet.

12 Unfortunately neither this work nor the powerful First Trio (1975) have been recorded.