1 …and more bears RECORDINGS “designed for repeated listening” AMB 90125 2 OPERA by Antonini Alfredo Antonini and his Orchestra 1. Le Maschere: Overture (Mascagni) .....................................2:49 2. Cavalleria Rusticana: Drinking Song (Mascagni)...............2:37 3. L'Amico Fritz: Intermezzo (Mascagni) ................................3:14 4. L'Amico Fritz: Cherry Duet (Mascagni)...............................3:14 5. L'Amico Fritz: March (Mascagni) .........................................1:39 6. Pagliacci: Minuet & Serenade (Leoncavallo)......................3:13 7. Otello: Ave Maria (Verdi) .....................................................3:06 8. La Wally: Ebben’ Ne Andro Lontana (Catalani).................3:33 9. Manon Lescaut: In Quelle Trine Morbide (Puccini) ...........2:02 10. Manon Lescaut: Intermezzo (Puccini).................................3:09 Original Sesac C-1107r/1108r ●P 1956 Achtern Dahl 4 • D-27729 Vollersode • Germany P 2011 & C 2011 …AND MORE BEARS LC 12483 AMB 90125 3 OPERA by Antonini Alfredo Antonini and his Orchestra Ten melodious excerpts from the glittering world of Italian opera are blended here into a fascinating concert program. Aside from the natural appeal inspired by the lyrical beauty of each selection, the complete program has an appeal of its own – the operas from which these excerpts were taken all originated in the same period, during the last fifteen years of the nineteenth century. Side A is devoted in its entirety to compositions of Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945), who burst upon the operatic scene in 1889 with the one- act masterpiece ‘Cavalleria Rusticana.’ With this opera Mascagni set a high mark for the realistic style of verismo. He selected a story not from the costumed elegance of the historical periods but from the rural life of Sicily in his own time. Furthermore, he imbued this passionate drama of faithlessness and revenge with powerful, lusty music. The Drinking Song from ‘Cavalleria,’ which is heard in this Antonini concert, is one of the best known moments in Italian opera. In Italy, Mascagni’s ‘L’Amico Fritz’ (1891) is still very popular. This too is a story involving rural folk, but, in contrast to the torrid drama of ‘Ca- valleria,’ it is rather in a romantic, boy-meets-girl vein, with a happy en- ding. From this opera, Maestro Antonini presents the famous Intermezzo, the idylic Cherry Duet, and the rousing March. The curtain raiser for Side A is provided by the overture to ‘Le Maschere.’ This was Mas- cagni’s eighth opera, written at the peak of the composer’s popularity. AMB 90125 4 Although it received a simultaneous premiere in seven Italian cities in 1901, it failed to gain world-wide acceptance in spite of the composer’s strong melodic gifts which are shown to best advantage in the overture. Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s ‘I Pagliacci,’ which was written in 1890, is the inseparable companion to ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ on the operatic stage. Thus the Minuet and Serenade from that opera’s second act “play within a play” is effective and natural programming for this operatic concert. In 1892, the same year when ‘I Pagliacci’ received its first performance, occurred the Italian premiere of Alfredo Catalani’s ‘La Wally,’ both under Arturo Toscanini’s baton. The aria which is played here in an instrumental transcription, occurs in the first act of Catalani’s romantic opera. Catalani, one of the brightest hopes of the post-Verdi generation of opera composers, died the following year, in 1893, at the age of thirty-nine. Guiseppe Verdi, the greatest name in Italian opera, is represented in this Antonini concert by Desdemona’s haunting Ave Maria from the last act of ‘Otello,’ Verdi’s tragic masterpiece of 1887, his seventy-fourth year. To complete this operatic program Maestro Antonini selected two excerpts – the Intermezzo and Manon’s second act aria – from Puccini’s ‘Manon Lescaut’ (1893). Giacomo Puccini was to become the foremost heir to Verdi’s artistic heritage, and the greatest name in Italian opera during the first quarter of the twentieth century. ORIGINAL LINER NOTES AMB 90125 5 …and more bears RECORDINGS “designed for repeated listening” For the very first time you now can acquire – These recordings were initially produced for exclusively through …AND MORE BEARS – the PT SESAC, America's second-oldest copyright society. Master Recording catalog, formerly known as The library was active from the late 1940s until 'SESAC Transcribed Library'. Extensive parts of the early ‘80s. The rights to the recordings were this catalog will be available worldwide for owned exclusively by the heirs of the SESAC downloading through the regular channels and founder and, with a few exceptions, have never platforms, as well as CD-on-demand albums. been used for vinyl recordings... much less CD. The most important point for music lovers and collectors is the material's exclusiveness: Highlights of the catalogue include: the music was unavailable elsewhere. ● A catalog of more than 7500 songs; The musicians and band-leaders were given studio ● Exclusive recordings from jazz giants such as Count time to record exclusive sessions of extra songs. Basie, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman and many others; Successful artists liked SESAC because it meant ● Ace session musicians and supporting players who were some extra money. From the very beginning, the stars in their own right like Alice Coltrane, Nat Adderly, repertoire was only available on a loan basis for Thad Jones, Kai Winding, Si Zentner, Gary Burton, Andy Williams, Eric Dolphy, Zoot Sims and many, many more; radio stations – every month the stations were ● given 40 cm transcription discs (later LP-sized Rare and sought after session recordings with Chet At- kins, The Jordanaires, Anita Kerr, Richard Maltby, Tony discs) that were delivered with complete text Mottola, Nathaniel Shilkret, The Stamps Baxter Men, information for the radio presenters. For DJs, The Statesmen, Webb Pierce and Faron Young; SESAC transcriptions meant interesting and rare ● Extensive classical repertoire with symphony orchestras. material for their audiences. And the sound ● quality is brilliant, as the recordings took place 1950s material in categories like Swing, Lounge, Country, Folk, Barbershop, Choir, Cowboy Music, Southern Gospel, in some of America's best studios, and out- Hawaiian, Latin, Marching Bands, Polkas among others. standing arrangers worked on these sessions. Go to www.and-more-bears.de to explore the full catalogue and see the latest additions.