Pilati: Orchestral Works

David Hurwitz

Artistic Quality:

Sound Quality:

Mario Pilati (1903-1938) was a minor figure in modern Italian music, but an attractive one nonetheless. All of this music was written between 1925 and 1938, the year of the composer’s untimely death. His style might best be described as “neo-classical verismo” in that the forms are the ones we have come to expect from the neo-classical movement (minuet, saraband, rondo, etc.), but the idiom comes straight from the school of Puccini and Mascagni. There’s also a healthy dose of folk music in the Concerto for Orchestra’s concluding Rondò alla tirolese, or in the Habanera from the Three Pieces for Orchestra. In short, the music is tuneful, charming, very much of its period, and extremely enjoyable in its unpretentious way. The performances are also expert: Pilati doesn’t put too much strain on his interpreters, but Adriano, pianist Tomás Nemec, and the Slovak Radio Symphony don’t take Pilati for granted and give him the kind of advocacy he both needs and deserves. The sonics are equally pleasing. This is a welcome novelty that I can see many collectors of offbeat repertoire adding to their collections. [10/20/2008]


Recording Details:

Reference Recording: None

MARIO PILATI - Concerto for Orchestra; Suite for Strings & Piano; Three Pieces for Oechestra; By The Cradle

  • Record Label: Naxos - 8.570873
  • Medium: CD

Search Music Reviews

Search Sponsor

  • Insider Reviews only
  • Click here for Search Tips

Visit Our Merchandise Store

Visit Store
  • Benjamin Bernheim Rules as Met’s Hoffmann
    Benjamin Bernheim Rules as Met’s Hoffmann Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, NY; Oct 24, 2024 Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann is a nasty work. Despite its
  • RIP David Vernier, Editor-in-Chief
    David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com’s founding Editor-in-Chief passed away Thursday morning, August 1, 2024 after a long battle with cancer. The end came shockingly quickly. Just a
  • Finally, It’s SIR John
    He’d received many honors before, but it wasn’t until last week that John Rutter, best known for his choral compositions and arrangements, especially works related