The Italian composer Dallapiccola left behind a small piano oeuvre. The best known is the 11 miniatures Notebook for Annalibera from 1952. Annalibera was the eight year old daughter of the composer. Her name was a reminder of the liberation of Florence from the hands of the Germans. The title naturally refers to the Notenbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach. Almost at the beginning of the cycle the
… famous B-A-C-H motive is quoted (in our notation Bes-A-C-B). To be clear, this music does not take us into the children's world of the Kinderszenen (Schumann) and the Children's Corner (Debussy). It must have taken some time before the girl could appreciate this music. It is mature music by a composer who practiced baroque counterpoint and modern serialism. Which does not mean that this is dry music. The expression is too lyrical and too Italian for that. Andrea Molteni also plays the piano works of Goffredo Petrassi, including the brilliant Toccata from 1933. Molteni can indirectly call himself Petrassi's pupil. Namely thanks to his teacher William Grant Naboré, who in turn was a pupil of Petrassi. (HJ)more
