Nino Rota: La Strada -Ballet Suite-, Concerto for Strings, Dances from Il Gattopardo

NINO ROTA (1911-1979)

 Suite dal balletto "La Strada" (1966)

Concerto per Archi (1964-65, versione 1977)

Ballabili per il film "Il Gattopardo" (1963)

ORCHESTRA FILARMONICA DELLA SCALA

RICARDO MUTI (Conductor)

 These works are the result of Rota's mature 1960s writing style. He was at the peak of his popularity and decided to cut down on his film score output,(He was at that point producing 10 a year)devoting more time to "other" music. Inspired by Fellini's 1954 film "La Strada" he was commissioned by La Scala for a 1966 ballet by the same name. It utilizes themes from "La Strada" among others from Rota-Fellini collaborations. The melodic score was well received by the public. The themes are allowed to be fleshed out and blossom without the film action to impede them.
The String concerto(1967)is in four movements rooted by the 19th Century classical style. Soothing melodic gifts are displayed throughout, though none are borrowed from his films. The spirited finale galop requires keen virtuosity from the orchestra. 1963's Viscoti's "The Leopard" comprises of six short dances again in the late 19th Century tradition. One dance orchestrated by Rota was an unpublished waltz by Verdi. They were combined for a party scene in which all elements of the story converged. Muti and his della Scala orch. play with affection, not overdone by the SONY hidef sound. This disc is indispensible for the most devoted Rota audiophile.