Credits:

Bottesini, Giovanni (1821-1889)

Description:

This album commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Italian composer and conductor Giovanni Bottesini. Although he excelled at playing the violin from an early age, Bottezini chose the contrabass at the Milan Conservatory, an instrument for which he received a scholarship due to family circumstances, and graduated with honors a year later. With the prize money he won upon graduation, he purchased a famous instrument and began to pursue his performance career. He became known as the "Paganini of the double bass. This album contains three string quintets, including two world premiere recordings. The three pieces differ in instrumentation, with No. 2 in E minor featuring the two cellos favored by Boccherini, No. 3 using two violas in the style of Mozart and Mendelssohn, and No. 1 in C minor, dedicated to Mercadante, using a contrabass, which is unique to Bottegini. The first piece in C minor, dedicated to Mercadante, is a unique Bottegini work with a contrabass. Enjoy the song-filled work in the extended performance by Lee Musicanti and the virtuoso contrabassist Leon Bosch, who makes his SOMM RECORDINGS debut with this album. Naxos Japan