SKU: UT.CH-157

ISBN 9790215320369. 9 x 12 inches.

Vals d'la Masca; Il racconto della Montagna; Sequenze sotterranee

The Alpinia Suite was commissioned and composed for the festival <> and is dedicated to my friend and colleague Elio Galvagno. It was performed for the first time on August 30, 2011, in the Church of San Giovanni in Saluzzo, by an ensemble of professional and student guitarists from all over Europe. This piece was written to commemorate the first ascent of mount Monviso, by William Mathews, Frederick Jacomb, Jean Baptiste Croz and Michel Croz, exactly 150 years before, on August 30, 1861.
The first movement is a small Waltz. I imagined a Masca (a sort of alpine pixie, a teasing sprite), dancing all around the house and playing tricks, mostly harmless and funny. The Masca is a legendary and very important character in the folklore of my valleys, and all rationally inexplicable events of everyday life are ascribed to her - such as objects that cannot be found anymore, holes in flour sacks, salt in sugar bowls...
The next two movements are a homage to the Mountains. The Tale is a sort of journal, a bright and peaceful chronicle of a hike uphill, in which the beauty of the place is highlighted by an easy harmony and a sweet melody. After this, Underground sequences evokes that same world in a darker and nocturnal way; the faster pace and the choice of repeated and varying patterns are meant to show the transformation of the former environment into something more complex and tormented. Here mountains are a metaphor of human life, warts and all: their sundrenched slopes and their green pasture grasslands, but also their icy and dangerous northern sides, which demand calm, training and caution.
(G. Signorile).

SKU: HL.374951

UPC: 196288017455. 6.75x10.5x0.025 inches. I John 2:25, James 1:12, Revelation 22:1.

There is much emotion in this choral concept joining a well-known hymn text with a melody from classical repertoire. Replete with images of our journey in life and our hope for heaven, this heartfelt anthem is touched with simple sincerity. The violin adds a bittersweet element and the appearance of Going Home is an inspired touch. The anthem doesn't linger in reflection but embraces the hope of heaven, rising to a dramatic finale of praise.

SKU: BR.EB-9357

Compulsory Piece for the Final Round oft he ARD International Music Competition (Munich, September 2019)

ISBN 9790004188279. 9 x 12 inches.

The sound of the cello in this piece should be foggy like voice of Ella Fitzgerald. Sweet, smooth and pleasant, but at the same time slightly hoarse, rustle, dirty. There are almost only natural harmonics; either single, or in chords (triple-stops) including two natural harmonics, or double-stops of two harmonics. All should be played flautando, sul tasto and molto lasciar vibrare. Flautando and sul tasto should serve in search for the foggy color - harmonics should speak less clear than normally, but more smooth and decent.(Martin Smolka) ,Like Ella' would be suited to a player of a high standard as many harmonics are in higher positions and played as triple-stops. I would recommend ,Like Ella' to an advanced cellist seeking to learn a piece of modern music to add to their concert repertoire.(Mitchell Smith, AUSTA Stringendo)

Compulsory Piece for the Final Round of the ARD International Music Competition (Munich, September 2019).