A native of Genoa, Luigi Cortese merged his experiences from studies in Paris and tuition from Alfredo Casella in Italy to create a personal idiom of lively intelligence and refined taste, largely avoiding the temptations of passing musical fashions. Salmo VIII is one of Cortese’s most important and profound works, while Cinque Pezzi is his wonderfully expressive final piano opus. This programme also contains two historical recordings made in the 1960s, including the Suite Française, which is one of the few documents of his own piano playing and probably Cortese’s finest achievement in the piano field. The poetic Sonata for cello and piano is performed by the unforgettable cellist Giorgio Lippi and pianist Luciano Sgrizzi.
Works:
•Cortese, L: Cello Sonata, Op. 39
•Cortese, L: Deux Odes de Ronsard Op. 25
•L: Introduzione e Allegro, Op. 40
•Cortese, L: Pezzi (5), Op. 45
•Cortese, L: Salmo VIII Op. 21
•Cortese, L: Suite Française, Op. 29