Giovanni
Bottesini
“ADAGIO
MELANCONICO E APPASSIONATO”
Stefano
Sciascia - Contrabbasso
David
Giovanni Leonardi – Pianoforte
v Fantasia su “La Lucia
di Lammermoor” di Donizetti
v Fantasia su “La
Beatrice di tenda” di Bellini
v Romanza
drammatica
v Fantasia su “I
Puritani” di Bellini
v Adagio
melanconico e appassionato
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BASS WORLD
magazine ISB
Fall
Winter 2006 Volume 31
Adagio Melanconico e Appassionato
Stefano Sciascia, double bass David Giovanni Leonardi, piano Stefano Sciascia Productions
ACD50222 www.stefanosciascia.it This is the eighth CD release by Italian virtuoso Stefano Sciascia
with his long time recital partner David Giovanni Leonardi. They have been
playing together for 12 years; their first (similarly all-Bottesini) CD was
released in 1994. Professor of bass at the Conservatorio di Musica “G.
Tartini” in The disc opens with the Fantasia on themes from Donizetti’s
1835 opera Lucia di Lamermoor Here Sciascia’s expressive and emotive
playing displays a wide range of colors and feelings. While some may find his
execution of the sixteenth passages in the Recitativo a little eclectic,
the arias are especially beautifully performed with a rich, singing tone
(especially the Act II Sextet “Chi mi frena”) and magnificent vibrato. The Romanza drammatica displays some exceptionally sensitive
playing in the solos by Leonardi who is a masterful accompanist throughout.
Scascia’s minimal use of glissandi, delicate use of harmonics and great
thought in the phrasing and expression contribute to a strong sense of style.
Some very audible breathing, not so perfect double-stops and occasional harsh
open strings really detract little from an otherwise suburb performance. The Fantasia from Bellini’s last opera I Puritani (also
from 1835) contains some of the most beautiful playing on this disc in the
cantabile sections; Sciascia imbues each aria with a distinctly different
character showing great understanding of the context of each within the
parent opera. There is some bravura passagework here in harmonics which ring
clear and concise and great sautillé bowing. The piano
sadly sounds a little harsh in the introduction’s forte passages; elsewhere
this is not at all evident. The Adagio melanconico e appassionato from which the CD takes
its title is perhaps the tour de force – highly expressive playing, stunning
phrasing and subtle changes of color and intensity. Here again there is great
thought in the details and shadings of each line. The final work on the disc is the enormous Fantasia from
Bellini’s penultimate opera Beatrice di Tenda and what a great way to
end this CD. The opening Recitativo is highly dramatic and literally
melts into the famous aria “Ah non pensar” from the introduction to
Act I. The allegro passages are played with great skill, clarity and
energy but it is in the arias that Sciascia really stands out – especially
the closing aria of the opera, “Angiol di pace all’anima” Sciascia’s
ability to really convey a vast palette of expressive colors highlights his
talent as one of the most passionate performers on the instrument today. The liner notes for the disc simply quote a wonderfully poetic and
colorful 1924 essay on Bottesini from an Italian newspaper, which really must
be read. Sciascia is a great interpreter of the great man. This CD is highly
recommended! - Review by Robert Nairn |
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