William Vincent Wallace - Salon Fantasy on Donizetti's Opera 'Lucia di Lammermoor' скачать в хорошем качестве

William Vincent Wallace - Salon Fantasy on Donizetti's Opera 'Lucia di Lammermoor'

William Vincent Wallace exemplified the spirit of Victorian enterprise. Blessed with extraordinary talent, tenacity and self-confidence, he rose from humble beginnings in provincial Ireland, to become one of the most famous musicians of his day. In 1831, whilst only a teenager, he heard the great violinist Paganini and determined to become a virtuoso himself, on the piano as well as the violin. By 1835 he felt ready to take the stage but realising that there would be too much competing talent in Europe, took the bold decision to try his luck in Australia. It proved a journey worth making. During his two-year stay, he gained a lasting reputation as the first musician of quality to visit the colony, giving over twenty concerts and establishing not only Australia’s first musical academy but also its first music festival. Throughout his life, Wallace had paid close attention to the development of opera, his knowledge of the varied repertoire shown in the scope of his operatic arrangements, ranging from Mozart to Wagner. Always interested in the orchestral capabilities of the piano, his works for that instrument are rich in texture and colour, though always allowing the melody its voice. In the works on this recording, Wallace combines intimate knowledge of the genre with the consummate flair of a master pianist to bring alive the passion and vitality of the Romantic stage. The fantasies on 'La sonnambula' and 'Lucia di Lammermoor' were part of a series, 'Souvenirs de l’Opéra', comprising selections from twelve popular operas and published between 1852 and 1854. The fantasy on 'Lucia' opens with a darkly dramatic introduction and then we are away with the hunt. An aria from the famous Mad Scene leads on to a rousing march. (Peter Jaggard) pf: Rosemary Tuck original audio:    • Donizetti - Fantaisie de salon sur l'opera...