Darius Milhaud (Marsella, Francia, 4 de septiembre de 1892 – Ginebra, 22 de junio de 1974) fue un compositor francés. Su obra se caracteriza por el empleo de la politonalidad (varias tonalidades simultáneas), así como de patrones rítmicos derivados del jazz.
Comenzó a los siete años a estudiar violín con Leo Bruguier, que lo incorporó a su cuarteto de cuerda. Ingresó en el Conservatorio de París en 1909. Fue alumno de Berthelier (violín), X. Leroux (armonía), André Gedalge (contrapunto), Paul Dukas y Vincent d'Indy (dirección de orquesta) y Charles-Marie Widor (fuga).
En 1910 escribió una ópera cómica basada en un libreto de Francis Jammes titulado Brebis égarée (oveja descarriada). Más adelante se vio atraído por la música de cámara. Su 1ª Sonata para violín y piano data de 1911 y su primer Cuarteto de cuerda fue escrito en 1912. Conoció al poeta Paul Claudel, del que musicó alguno de sus poemas. Entre sus amigos estaban Georges Auric y Arthur Honegger.
En 1916 viaja a Brasil como secretario de Paul Claudel, entonces embajador. En este viaje Milhaud escribe las Saudades du Brazil, la suite para saxofón, Scaramouche, con su destacado tercer movimiento Brasileira, Le Bœuf sur le toit y el poema coreográfico L’Homme et son desir. En 1918 regresa a Francia y entabla amistad con Erik Satie y con los músicos del Grupo de los Seis.
Durante los siguientes años la actividad creadora de Milhaud es incesante: cantatas, conciertos, canciones, obras corales se suceden en rápida cadencia. Se casó con su prima Madeleine, que a partir de 1937 sería su colaboradora en varias obras. Hizo numerosos viajes y ofreció conciertos en todos los países de Europa.
En 1940 se trasladó a Estados Unidos al recibir el encargo de una sinfonía para la orquesta de Chicago. Allí permaneció hasta 1947 donde trabajó como profesor de composición en el Mills College de Oakland, California, donde tuvo como alumnos, entre otros, al músico de jazz Dave Brubeck. Abandonó este puesto para trabajar como profesor honorario de composición en el Conservatorio de París, donde tuvo como discípulos a Iannis Xenakis y a Karlheinz Stockhausen.
En 1952 viajó a Israel, donde escribió parte de su ópera David.
En 1965 su catálogo estaba integrado por 409 obras, pequeñas y grandes, escritas para todos los géneros musicales. De entre todas éstas destacan los ballets Le bœuf sur le toit (1920) y La Création du Monde (estrenado por los Ballets Suecos en 1923), la ópera Christophe Colomb (1930) y la pieza orquestal Suite provençale (1937).

Karl Kaiser studied at the Colleges of Music in Cologne and Münster. Parallel to this he also studied theology, philosophy and musicology at the universities in Bonn and Cologne, ultimately deciding on a musical profession. Since then he has made an excellent name for himself as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician in the area of historically informed performance techniques.
After gaining wide-ranging and inspiring experience in the most varied of orchestras and groups for historical music, Karl Kaiser now concentrates on a few complementary ensembles. He has been a flautist at the Camerata Cologne for almost 30 years, with worldwide concerts and more than 50 CDs covering a large part of the Baroque and early classical chamber music.
He has been a member and flautist of the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra for many years and is constantly underway worldwide with this ensemble as an orchestral musician and soloist. Karl Kaiser is also a founding member and flautist of the La Stagione orchestra in Frankfurt under Michael Schneider. Karl Kaiser plays early Romantic chamber music with Petra Müllejans (violin) and Sonja Prunnbauer (guitar) on original instruments in the trio Sérénade à Trois.
Karl Kaiser is an enthusiastic and all-embracing teacher. He is Professor for Historical Flutes and Performance Techniques at the College of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt and at the College of Music in Freiburg. He regularly gives master courses and holds presentations on performance techniques of the 18th century. He has published articles in newspapers and a book of his, Fundamental Knowledge of Baroque Music was published by the con brio Verlag. Karl Kaiser sees his teaching activities as being within a higher-ranking framework – beyond the pure communication of skills.

Paul Wåhlberg teaches flute at the world’s northernmost music academy in Tromsø, Norway, and lives in the tiny community of Godfjord. He was trained in Göteborg, Zürich and The Hague, and has since performed extensively, specializing in early instruments. He was one of the founders of the Norwegian Baroque Orchestra, which has been touring most of Europe. With this ensemble he has recorded music by Bach and the Norwegian eighteenth century composer Johan Henrik Freithoff. He also founded the group Musica Domestica which has appeared throughout Great Britain and Scandinavia.

Jed Wentz began his flute studies with Walter Mayhall in Youngstown, Ohio, and continued studying with James Walker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied modern and historical flutes at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with Robert Willoughby and Michael Lynn, and received a Soloist's Diploma from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague after three years with Barthold Kuijken. He has performed and recorded with groups such as Musica Antiqua Koln, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Capriccio Stravagante Paris and the Gabrielli Consort. In 1992 he founded Musica ad Rhenum, with whom he has recorded more than 20 CDs both as flutist and conductor. His recording of the complete flute sonatas of Locatelli was awarded the prize for the Best Recording of Italian Music 1995 by the Fondazione Cini Venetia. Mr. Wentz teaches at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music, and lectures regularly on performance practice at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has published articles in Early Music, Concerto, and Tijdschrijft voor Oude Muziek. He is pursuing his doctorate through Leiden University, with his research centering on the relationship between 18th-century staging and tempo in the tragedie en musique.

Susan Milan ARCM PG, GSMD, FRCM, is an English Professor of flute of the Royal College of Music, classical performer, recording artiste, composer, author and entrepreneur.

Biography

Susan Milan was born in London, the daughter of civil servants. Between 1958-63, she became a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music. During 1960 to 1966, she was a member of the London Schools Symphony Orchestra. From 1963 to 1967, she was a scholar of the Royal College of Music, graduating with honours, where she later become a Professor of Flute in 1984. From 1966-72, she attended Marcel Moyse master classes in Boswil. In 1967, she was awarded a Countess of Munster Scholarship to study as a Post Graduate under Geoffrey Gilbert at the Guildhall School of Music. After graduation in 1968, she was invited to become Principal Flute of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta. In 1974, she made musical history by being appointed the first woman principal and member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra where she remained for eight years. Since then she has sustained a multi-dimensional career as an orchestral guest principal, chamber musician, soloist, recording artiste, composer, author, musicologist, teacher, lecturer and entrepreneur. In 2001, she was appointed Artistic Director of Woodwind for the Evergreen Orchestra, Taiwan. In 2007, she was appointed Adjunct Professor of Music at Henan University, China, and founded the Charterhouse International Music Festival for outstanding young musicians.

Activities

In 1979, Milan released her first solo recording on the ASV label. This was followed in 1981 by a second solo recording on the Hyperion label, and contracts with Chandos (1990) and Upbeat (1990). 1997 saw the issue of the Master Classics Archive Series of historic flute recordings featuring Milan. Described as the “Queen of the Flute” by journalist Huang Hua, Milan has recorded concertos, duos and chamber music recitals for the Hyperion, Da Capo, Omega, Cala, Metier and ASV labels. She has further recorded more than a dozen recordings of concertos and recitals for the Chandos label including three collections of French repertoire. She has also made recital recordings of French Impressionist composers (Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Boulanger, Ibert, Dutilleux, Poulenc and Feld) for Upbeat Records and Master Classics.
Her most recent recording of contemporary British works for flute and piano, with the pianist Andrew Ball, was released on the Metier label in 2008. She has also recorded the Schmidt Concerto by Ole Schmidt with Schmidt conducting, for the Da Capo label. In 2010, she began recording the Simpson Concerto for Hyperion.
Recent commissions have included a concerto from the American composer Keith Gates, “Oiseau Soleil” for flute and piano by the French composer Jean Sichler, “The Moon Dances” by the British composer Cecilia McDowall, “Sonata” by British composer Brian Lock and “Octagon” by British composer Ian Finney. Her accompanist, pianist Ian Brown has worked with Schering, Rostropovich, Galway and other famous classical musicians.

Performances

In the UK, Milan has performed as a Principal Flute and soloist with all the major orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, English Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, English String Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Welsh Orchestra, Philomusica of London, New London Orchestra and Haydn Festival Orchestra. In her a career as an orchestral guest principal, chamber musician, soloist, teacher and lecturer, she has often featured on the BBC.
She has given numerous UK and world premieres, touring frequently throughout Europe, US, Australia and the Far East.[2] Milan has given solo appearances in Holland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, US, Hong Kong, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Milan has also given convention performances in Australia, Costa Rica, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain, the UK and the US (Washington, Boston, New York, Phoenix, Las Vegas).

Repertoire

Performing music from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, Milan specialises in the Baroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, contemporary periods. As well as a wide repertoire of recital and chamber music, she performs solo works by J. S. Bach, Hofmann, Khatchaturian, Mozart, Saint-Saëns and Vivaldi, with orchestra, as well as works by C. P. E. Bach, Carl Nielsen, Ibert, Jolivet, Reinecke, Stamitz and Telemann. She has also inspired contemporary composers to write for her, including Richard Rodney Bennett, Antal Dorati, Carl Davis, Chaminade, Frank Martin, Malcolm Arnold, Jindrich Feld, Edwin Roxburgh, Robert Saxton, Ole Schmidt, Robert Simpson and Cecilia McDowall.

Ensembles

In the chamber music field, she formed The London Chamber Music Group (featuring flute, oboe, violin, viola, cello, piano and harp). With members of the group, she recorded the chamber music of Eugene Goossens for the Chandos label. She has also performed with The Debussy Ensemble, Weber Ensemble and Milan-Ball Duo. Susan formed the Milan Trio, with her second son, cellist Christopher Jepson, and the pianist Andrew Ball, and performs with the Instrumental Quintet of London, for flute, string trio and harp, with Nicholas ward, Matthew Jones, Sebastian Somberti and Ieuan Jones.

Academic field

In 1992, Milan researched and published 19th century repertoire for Boosey & Hawkes. Several technical books followed including two technical scale books in 2000, and a handbook of programme notes, for flute performers in 2006. She is presently restoring a collection of historic [78”] recordings of flautists from 1910–1945, to be issued on the Master Classics label. She has given Master Classes in Australia (Adelaide); Germany (Berlin); China, (Beijing and Hong Kong); Germany (Weikersheim); Italy (Naples); Japan (Nagoya and Tokyo); Slovenia; South Africa; South Korea (Seoul); Spain; Switzerland (Ticino Festival); the UK (Charterhouse, Jackdaws and West Dean); and the US.

Achievements

In 1960, Milan was presented with the Royal College of Music's Evekisch Prize by Sir Malcolm Sargeant. In recognition of her achievements, she was elected President of the British Flute Society in 1990 until 1995. She was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College College in November 1999 which was presented to her by HRH Prince Charles. Milan is listed in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Who’s Who in Music, and is a Patron of GAMPA, BASBWE and the Association of Woodwind Teachers.

Anton Reicha

Anton (Antonin o Antoine) Reicha (o Rejcha) (Praga, 1770 — París, 1836), fue un flautista, compositor y teórico musical checo nacionalizado francés. Su padre muere cuando era niño y lo cría su tío Josef en Bonn, en 1794 se traslada a Hamburgo por cinco años. Fue amigo de juventud de Beethoven y alumno de Haydn. En 1803 compone 36 fugas, que dedica a Haydn. En 1808 se traslada definitivamente a París. Gracias al éxito obtenido por sus 26 quintetos para instrumentos de viento, en 1818 fue nombrado profesor del Conservatorio de París, donde tuvo como discípulos a Berlioz, Liszt, Franck y Gounod. Se nacionaliza francés en 1829. Compuso catorce sinfonías y escribió abundante música, así como varios tratados teóricos y pedagógicos (Tratado de melodía, 1814; Tratado de alta composición musical, 1826; El arte del compositor dramático, 1833).

An impressive and virtuoso concert with Trio Gabriel. The musicians sounded as if they were melting with each other. Their delicious and immensely devoted performance tore the audience from their seats.

-Hamburger Abendblatt, January 2005

Moshe Aron Epstein gave a convincing performance of Mozart's D-Major concerto, showing virtuosity and stylistic purity. His interpretation of the slow movement was glorious, it shone with a most expressive legato.

-Westdeutsche Zeitung, March 2001

His encore was fabulous – a glazed Bach-Sarabande.

-Rheinische Post, 2001

It left a deep impression thanks to the beauty of the instrumental solo part of Moshe Aron Epstein on flute and his elegant expressiveness.

-Die Rheinpfalz, 1999

What Cesar Franck demanded from the violin, Moshe Aron Epstein amazingly produced on his flute. Epstein expressed the magnificent scent of the pastoral, which he carried on to Syrinx with a moving simplicity.

-Der Bund, Schweiz, 1994

... Moshe Aron Epstein is not only an artist of the flute, but also is an enthusiastic and exciting conductor who produces a brilliant and warm sound from the orchestra along with vitality and tenderness.

-Al Hamishmar, Israel, 1994


Biography:

MOSHE ARON EPSTEIN shares his solo and chamber music career with his professorship of flute at the Hochschule (Academy) of Music and Theater in Hamburg, which he has held since 1999. As a soloist he has performed with major Israeli orchestras and several European orchestras such as the Berlin, Ljubljana, Frankfurt and Hamburg. He has been invited to play for many music festivals including the Bregenz and Hopfgarten in Austria, "Bach a Bartok" in Italy, Kfar-Blum in Israel, Festspiele in Berlin, Mozart Festspiele in Schwetzingen, Schloss-Kirche Concerts in Mannheim, the Mozart Festival of Skopje, Macedonia, as well as the festivals of the English, Slovenian, German and American Flute Societies and more. Master classes with Mr. Epstein are internationally sought after and he has taught worldwide. He has taught in the US, Japan, Germany, France, England, Finland, Slovenia, Moldavia, Italy, Hungary, Estonia, Macedonia and Israel.

Moshe Aron Epstein began playing the flute in 1960 at the age of 8. He studied flute with Dr. Uri Toeplitz at the Rubin Music Academy of Tel-Aviv. While there he also studied orchestral and choral conducting as well as music theory. He graduated in 1975 "magna cum laude," and his Artist Diploma followed a year later. During his years of study he was awarded scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. After winning 1st prize at the Music Academy in Tel-Aviv's flute competition, Mr. Epstein studied in Switzerland with Marcel Moyse. Later on he was a guest of the Artist-Home Boswil with Aurèle Nicolet. Upon returning to Israel in 1981 he became principal flutist of the Israel Sinfonietta, where he frequently appeared as soloist in numerous subscription concerts and in the Israel Festival. He toured with the Israel Sinfonietta to Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and France.

The same year Prof. Epstein joined the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance he also served as head of its Wind Department, chair of the Orchestra Instrument Department, and dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts. He also was music director and conductor of the Academy's chamber orchestra (1996-1999). Before his arrival in Hamburg Mr. Epstein conducted such orchestras as the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the Israel Sinfonietta, the Israel Kibbutzim Chamber Orchestra and the Tel-Aviv Symphony Orchestra.

In 2002 he established the Trio Gabriel with Bettina Pahn (Soprano) and Wolfgang Zerer (organ/harpsichord). "Sweet Silence," a CD of the trio containing arias and sonatas of the baroque period will appear in October 2006 by AMBITUS. From 1992 - 1995 he directed and narrated the Chamber Music Series at the Auditorium of the Ted and Lin Arison Israel Music Conservatory in Tel-Aviv. A CD with M.A. Epstein, containing pieces by J.S. and C.P.E. Bach appeared in 1991 in Germany. His practice book "Mind your Fingers" was published by Zimmermann Edition in 1999, and a version for the oboe was published in 2005.



CD Release: 

Moshe released a CD featuring works written and arranged for flute and organ. This unique combination of flute and organ (Wolfgang Zerer, organist) creates a special acoustical ambience unlike any other. Works by Reinecke, Debussy, Dukas, Poulenc, Saint-Saëns, Franck, Alain, and Martin.

"The pieces recorded on this CD express romanticism and nostalgia, tragedy and hope. One flute and thousands of organ pipes join together to perform music, which, as I once learned from Marcel Moyse, expresses deep sadness and sorrow but always leaves some room for a glimmer of sunlight, of hope."       - Moshe Aron Epstein

Please visit http://www.ambitus.de/ in order to purchase a CD. You may also purchase CD's through Flute World and The Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company.

For more information, visit Moshe's personal website: http://www.maepstein.de/


Interview: 

We had the opportunity to ask Moshe a few questions. Take a look at his thoughts on studying with Aurele Nicolet, what he emphasizes the most in his teaching, as well as advice for upcoming flutists.


1. What do you think is the most important thing for you to emphasize in your teaching and in your own playing?

Playing a musical instrument, the flute included, is a rare discipline that combines technique, spirit, body and soul. I have been teaching flute for almost 42 years (a frightening figure, isn’t it?!), from beginners through professionals. I spend endless time and effort on the physical side of playing: from posture to breathing, from intonation to finger technique, dynamics to sound quality and of course to shape, style, and musical phrasing etc. But above all I look for the special encounter between the player and the composer and the message to be delivered through musical means. I put an emphasis on the fact that we should serve the music - be like a vessel through which the great music is flowing. The better the technique, the more subtle it should become.

I’d say it takes about 15 years for one to learn how to play the flute. After that, one should learn how to (in a way) forget it and instead activate the huge knowledge through spiritual-emotional triggers and use it for the sake of music making. This is what is so important for me to emphasize while teaching. When I play, I hope to achieve that state of mind, which is not always so easy but most rewarding when it happens.


2. Can you give me any insights into your experience studying with Auréle Nicolet?

I came about studying with Auréle Nicolet in 1979 when I was 27 years old and already a so called “professional flutist.” I studied with him at his home in Oberwil, near Basel, Switzerland. I had received a scholarship from the “Artist Home Boswil,” the place where Marcel Moyse used to give his master classes, which I participated in the year of 1975.

Nicolet first listened to me play for a while and then told me in German with a slight Swiss-French accent, “I see you know how to make music pretty well and have learned quite a bit over the years. But you are not so young anymore. I’ll try to make you a solid flutist - one who can deliver a high level of respected playing even under the most difficult conditions.”

Nicolet then taught me what concentration really means: how I could work with my mind, my thoughts and focus so that the management of playing with all its levels and unlimited demands is efficient. That it is there, ALWAYS there, existing and present.

It was an unforgettable lesson for me. Over a period of seven or eight months I learned from him what can happen deep within myself when I put my whole being under the command of concentration. What happens when I, while playing, surrender the regular state of mind for the sake of a different level of functionality of a higher division of attention - essentially making my body do what my spirit commands.

Nicolet, who unfortunately is now very sick, was a great thinker who expressed his immense intelligence and profound philosophy through the flute.


3. How did you come to choose recording a CD with the unique combination of flute and organ?

I was born in Israel and lived there most of my life. There are very few organs in Israel and before the time I had spent in Switzerland, I had never heard of one in my life. This changed immediately upon arriving in the Artist Home in Boswil, as the organist in the nearby little town of Muri, Mr. Egon Schwarb, asked me to join him and play several Bach sonatas in services. We then played concerts in the magnificent Baroque church with an equally magnificent organ. I truly fell in love with this monstrous instrument (which is no more than several thousands of flutes…)

In Hamburg I met my colleague, Prof.Wolfgang Zerer, who also became one of my closest friends. Wolfgang is an organist with such a high level of musicianship, which is a continuous challenge for me. I am so lucky to have him as a collaborator in concerts for flute and organ when playing baroque as well as romantic music. Especially with music that was included on the last recording we produced entitled, ‘Romantique.’

The organ, if well registered, is a wonderful sound partner for the flute and opens completely new possibilities and dimensions for performances. There are a few (almost) original pieces for this combination, like Frank Martin’s ‘Sonata da Chiesa’ and Jehan Alains ‘Aria.’ However, there are so many adaptations and possible arrangements from harpsichord, piano and orchestra parts that can be very successful.


4. How did you come to choose Miyazawa as your flute of choice?

As it happens for all of us who have made the flute their profession, I’ve tried numerous different flutes of all makers and models. There are many good makers nowadays.

But the very first time I tried the Miyazawa heavy wall Platinum flute it hit me like a bolt of lightning! The sound was so rich in overtones, unlike any other flute I had ever played. It allowed for the brightest dynamic as well as the most extensive color palette I could ever dream of.

And it has remained this way ever since, more than 4 years ago!


5. If you had one piece of advice to give an upcoming flutist, what would you tell them?

The professional life of a flutist has become quite difficult in our present time. Getting a job is a nightmare. Please do not fall into the trap of devoting yourself so much to the efficiency of playing up to a level of becoming a wonderful human-machine.

Keep a good, healthy and true balance between the outer demands of the modern world and your own inner voice, soul and spirit. In a humorous way, with some Yiddish flavor it would be: In spite of the fact that you are, or want to become a flutist, be a MENSCH!

Alessandro Rolla


Alessandro Rolla (22 April 1757 – 15 September 1841) was widely acknowledged in his time as a violin and, especially, viola virtuoso, composer and teacher. His contribution to technique, repertoire and history of music is greatly underestimated.[citation needed] His son, Antonio Rolla, was also a violin virtuoso and composer.
His fame now rests mainly as "teacher of the great Paganini", yet his role was very important in the development of violin and viola technique. Some of the technical innovations that Paganini later used largely, such as left-hand pizzicato, chromatic ascending and descending scales, the use of very high positions on violin and viola, octave passages, were first introduced by Rolla.


Life

Rolla was born in Pavia, Italy in 1757 and after his initial studies he moved to Milan where, from 1770 to 1778, he studied with Gian Andrea Fioroni, Maestro di cappella at Milan Cathedral, who was the most important musician in Milan after G. B. Sammartini. Charles Burney, in his musical tour in Italy, refers to Fioroni to acquire information about the Ambrosian Chant.
In 1772, at 15, he made his first public appearance as a soloist and composer performing “the first viola concerto ever heard”, as reported by a contemporary writer. However, this is in fact false, as the first ever viola concerto was written several years earlier by Telemann (Concerto in G Major for Viola and String Orchestra).
In 1782 he was appointed principal viola and the leader of the Ducale Orchestra in Parma, playing violin and viola until 1802. This was the most profitable period of Rolla’s life, his most serene and creative years, in a very stimulating cultural and intellectual atmosphere; he was allowed to travel to conduct and perform as a soloist, became known also abroad and his works were published in Paris and Vienna.
In 1795 he received a visit by the young Paganini wishing to study with him and from Paganini’s later letters there is evidence that they remained in contact and even played quartet together. This relationship must have had an influence on Paganini, as far as his love for the viola is concerned, which in his maturity led him to compose works of great interest for the instrument, such as the concert piece Sonata per la Grand Viola e Orchestra, the Serenata and Terzetto concertante, besides the Quartet n.15 for Viola Concertante, violin, guitar and cello.
After the death of the Duke of Parma, in 1802 Rolla was offered a position as leader and orchestra director of the La Scala Orchestra in Milan. Here the new governors, the French and later the Austrians, wanted to create the most important orchestra of Italy and therefore hired the best virtuosos of the time. Among his students during this period were Cesare Pugni, the prolific composer of ballet music, whom he taught the violin. Rolla would conduct many of Pugni's operas for La Scala, among them Il Disertore Svizzero (1831) and La Vendetta (1832).
At La Scala Rolla remained until 1833. There he conducted the first Milanese performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, Clemenza di Tito and Nozze di Figaro and Beethoven’s first Symphonies. During this period he also conducted about eighteen operas of the then most loved opera composer, Gioacchino Rossini, as well as operas by Donizetti and Bellini, whom he got to know personally.
Since 1811 he was also director of a Cultural Society where musicians used to perform chamber music works by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, among others. In 1813 at this Cultural Society he gave private performances of Beethoven’s Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Symphonies. He also used to be in the aristocracy drawing rooms, meeting artists and poets, playing for them and dedicating them several compositions.
In 1808 the Conservatoire of Music in Milan was inaugurated and Rolla was appointed professor of violin and viola. In this capacity he composed many didactical works for his own pupils, graded in difficulty, many of which were published by the newly established publishing house Ricordi. Several of these esercizi are composed with progressive technical difficulties and in all keys.
It is also curious to note that Rolla was a member of the adjudicating commission that rejected another famous Parmesan, Giuseppe Verdi, at the entry examination in the Conservatoire of the city, although he was the only one who expressed a favourable judgement about the young student.
Although involved in opera conducting in a period when in Italy opera was dominating over instrumental music, Rolla continued to compose, maintaining the Italian instrumental tradition high. He wrote about 500 works, from didactical compositions to sonatas, quartets, symphonies, concertos for violin, not less than 13 concertos and other works for viola and orchestra. Significant was his contribution to the diffusion of Beethoven’s works in Italy and his familiarity with Beethoven and other Viennese composers is shown in his compositions. He continued to compose and play chamber music until few months before his death at 84.
His works and performances as a violin and viola player and conductor at La Scala were often reviewed and appreciated in the Leipziger Zeitung.
As an example of his fame in Italy and abroad, it’s worth noting that during his lifetime his compositions were published by publishers such as Le Duc and Imbault in Paris, Artaria in Vienna, Breitkopf & Hartel in Leipzig, Monzani & Hill in London, André in Offenbach, Ricordi in Milan from 1809, and many more.
This information about Rolla’s life and multifarious musical activity helps us interpret his work. He was a musician of European vision, an innovator in his own field who was also able to learn from the best of his contemporaries. Also being so deeply immersed in opera environment undoubtedly had an influence on his style as a composer. He often used themes from operas for his variations.
Because of the technical innovations introduced, his work might be considered helpful for the development of viola technique.
His style varies from the very melodic phrases, typically operatic in character, rich in fiorituras, to the extremely virtuoso writing, the style we are used to identify with Paganini. Ingredients of this technique are an ample use of double stops, fast passages in thirds and sixths, octaves from the first to the eighth position, very fast ascending and descending diatonic and chromatic scales, flying staccato, left-hand pizzicato. This intense virtuosity was a new innovation for viola technique, practically unheard of in previous times. Bertini, a historian of his time, in a dictionary of musicians reported that Rolla was prohibited to play in public because women could not hear him without fainting of being struck by attacks of nerves.
Some[who?] think Rolla deserves a more important position in viola repertoire. His didactical works, conceived especially for the viola, are of special interest for students and teachers. They are often conceived in form of duos, lending themselves to be used also for chamber music education purposes as well.
Many of his works have been published in modern times and are therefore available.




Mario Carbotta

Appreciated  by the  public  and  by the  international  critics (Flutist Carbotta is simply superb, Audiophile Audition Classical; Quant au flutiste Mario Carbotta il a des ailes, Repertoire; Carbotta plays the pieces with a nice tone and an excellent technique, Fanfares; Les interprètes sont d'une musicalité et d'un goût parfaits , Le Monde de la Musique) he has played all over Italy, in many countries of Europe, Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Mexico, Canada and the United Statesof America.
After  obtaining  a  full  marks  diploma  at  the  Conservatory  of  Piacenza,  he  attended  Mario  Ancillotti’s Postgraduate Courses  at the  School  of Music in  Fiesole, winning  in the meantime  a lot  of  prizes  in  musical competitions, the most important being the "F. Cilea" in Palmi.
He has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls: Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna, Rudolfinum in Prague,  Auditorium  of  the  Swiss  Radio in  Lugano,  "G.Verdi"Hall in  Milan’s  Conservatorio,  Glenn  Gould  Studios in Toronto, Tiara Koto Hall in Tokyo, Auditorium Manuel de Falla in Granada, Cairo Opera House, Poly Theatre of Peking, Lithuanian Philarmonica of Vilnius, and renowned events, such as the international Festival of Santander, Castel de Perelada, Torre del Lago Puccini, Ljubljana, Varajdin, Zagreb and Teheran.
As  a  soloist,  he  has  played  with  famous  chamber  orchestras  (Mannheim  Kammerorchester, Mainzer  Kammerorchester, DKO  Frankfurt, Silesian  Chamber  Orchestra  Katowice, Solisti  Aquilani,  I  Virtuosi  di  Praga,  Archi  della  Scala)  and symphonic  orchestras  (Tonkünstler-Orchester  Niederösterreich of  Vienna,  Karntner  Sinfonieorchester of  Klagenfurt, Thüringer Symphoniker, Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, Loh-Orchesters Sondershausen, the  Symphonette Orchestra of Israel, the Symphonic Orchestra of Istanbul, the Radiotelevison and Film Orchestra of the Popular Republic of China, Cairo Symphony  Orchestra,  the  Orquestra  do  Algarve and  Orquestra  Classica  de  Madeira in  Portugal,  the  Orchestra  I  Pomeriggi Musicali of Milano, Orchestra of the Provincia di Bari, the Symphonic Orchestra of Sanremo and in the United States with the  Symphonic Orchestras  of  Amarillo, Altoona, Garland, Las Cruces  and Longmont), with the  conductors  Philippe Bender,  Philippe  Bernold,  Elio  Boncompagni,  Alvaro  Cassuto, Diego  Fasolis,  Piero  Gamba, Hiroaki  Masuda, Matthias Maurer, Jan Stulen, Alberto Veronesi.
He has performed for the first time ever some pieces by a number of Italian contemporary composers - among them  Pieralberto  Cattaneo,  Roberto  Cognazzo,  Paola  Crisigiovanni,  Federico  Ermirio,  Vittorio  Fellegara, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Gianni Possio, Riccardo Piacentini, Alessandro Solbiati, Stefano Taglietti, Andrea Talmelli - some of which dedicated to him.
In addition to the artistic activity, Carbotta has constantly devoted himself to research on a lot of forgotten but important  authors  and  to  divulge  his  rediscoveries.  He  has  edited  the  sonatas  of  Gianandrea  Fioroni,  Pietro Nardini,  Peter  Lichtenthal  and  Alessandro  Rolla  for  the  publishers  Suvini  Zerboni,  Bèrben,  Carisch  and Rugginenti.
His discography  for Dynamic, Tactus, Nuova Era and Rugginenti includes the  first  recordings in  our times of Giuseppe  Sammartini,  Mario  Pilati,  the  whole  work  for  flute  by  Nino  Rota,  the  Lieder  by  Caspar  Fürstenau (recorded with the choir of the Swiss Radio of Lugano directed by Diego Fasolis), the integral duets for  flute and  violin  (with  Luigi  Alberto  Bianchi),  the  chamber  music  and  the  concert  for  flute  and  orchestra  by Alessandro  Rolla,  the  Triple  concert  "Degli  oleandri"  by  Raffaele  Gervasio  (with  the  Orchestra  Sinfonica Lucana),  "Memories  from  concert"  of  Gianni  Possio  (with  the  voice  of  David  Riondino)  and  the  whole concerts for flute and orchestra by Saverio Mercadante (with the Solisti Aquilani).
He has also  run courses and master classes in the USA at the Amarillo University (Texas) and at the Louisiana University, at the International Academy of music in Milan and in Poland at the Katowice Music School and at the International Summer Courses of musical interpretation in Nowy Sacz.

1. Quinteto Em Forma De Choros - William Bennet/Neil Black/Janice Knight/Thea King/Robin O'Neill

2. Modinha - William Bennet/Simon Wynberg

3. Bachianas Brasileiras No.6: Aria (Choro) Largo - William Bennet/Robin O'Neill

4. Bachianas Brasileiras No.6: Fant Allegro - William Bennet/Robin O'Neill

5. Distribution Of Flowers - William Bennet/Simon Wynberg

6. Assobio A Jato (The Jet Whistle): Allegro Non Troppo - William Bennet/Charles Tunnell

7. Assobio A Jato (The Jet Whistle): Adagio - William Bennet/Charles Tunnell

8. Assobio A Jato (The Jet Whistle): Vivo - William Bennet/Charles Tunnell

9. Choros No.2 - William Bennet/Thea King

10. Song Of Love - William Bennet/Simon Wynberg

11. Trio: Anime - Neil Black/Thea King/Robin O'Neill

12. Trio: Languisamente - Neil Black/Thea King/Robin O'Neill

13. Trio: Vivo - Neil Black/Thea King/Robin O'Neill

'A disc of pure delight from beginning to end. Another example of why Hyperion gets my vote as the most innovative record label. Full marks!' --Which CD


'A disc of outstanding artistry' (The Good CD Guide)


'[A] box-full of ingenious vitality' (BBC Music Magazine)