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Flutist Mario Carbotta, violinist Mario Hossen, violist Marta Potulska and cellist Attilia Kiyoko Cernitori– CD Review, the 5th of April 2024

SaverioMercadante- Quartets No. 1 and 2 for flute and strings.

Here are the first recordings of quartets for flute and strings created by SaverioMercadante, a composer who established himself as a prolific creator of works in the 19th century. Although not as successful in his lifetime as his fellow musicians Gaetano Donizetti and Gioachino Rossini, Mercadante wrote a significant number of lyrical scores which influenced Giuseppe Verdi as far as the melodic style and orchestration technique are concerned. In addition to his impressive contribution to the lyrical genre, SaverioMercadante composed several concert and chamber works dedicated to the flute.

The quartets in G major, F major and E minor from the Italian musician's oeuvre are included on an album released on the 17th of November 2023 at Dynamic Records, recorded by flutist Mario Carbotta with an ensemble consisting of violinist Mario Hossen, violist Marta Potulska and Attilia Kiyoko Cernitori on cello.

The first two Quartets were composed by SaverioMercadante during his studies in Naples, around 1814. The works are structured in three parts, characterised by lyricism, thematic inventiveness and ornate melodies, with the flute playing an almost soloistic role, while the string ensemble creates the harmonic accompaniment and contrapuntal moments that enhance the musical discourse.

The flute score is played by Mario Carbotta, one of Italy's most respected flutists, professor at the Giuseppe Nicolini Conservatory in Piacenza and at the summer courses of the Orphaeus International Music Academy in Vienna. He has performed on important stages in North America and Europe, including Romania, and has collaborated with famous ensembles such as the European Union Chamber Orchestra, the Prague, Cairo and Israeli Symphony Orchestras, and has released 21 albums reflecting the variety of his repertoire so far. Mario Carbotta has a special affinity for lesser-known musical creations, so he has recorded for the first time works by composers such as Kaspar Fürstenau, Nino Rota, Mario Pilati and Saverio Mercadante.

Larisa Clempuș