Quando ero ancora abbonato a Double Bassist ho letto la recensione di Robin Stowell sul mio Adagio Melanconico e appassionato .
Robin Stowel ha recensito tutti i miei cd , e' un ottimo critico ed ha sempre scritto bene di tutti i miei dischi su Double Bassist .
Adagio Melanconico e Appassionato lo ha quasi fatto a pezzi .
Ecco la critica di Robert Nairn su Bass World (rivista dell'ISB )
Che sia di monito agli infedeli ed ai fanatici che cercano di zittire le voci libere e fuori da ogni gioco di potere .
hahaha !
Viva la liberta' .
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.itThis 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 Trieste, Sciascia has been a regular recitalist throughout Europe, Asia, the U.S. and a performer at the last three ISB Conferences. His interpretations of the Bottesini works on this CD are superb - highly dramatic, passionate and sensitive.
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