Historic, archival recordings. A boxed set of 8 CDs in a limited collector’s edition.
Italian/English Booklet
Price: € 56 + Shipping.

Purchase online with this link

or at MUSA (Museum of Musical Instruments), the Multimedia Library or at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia box offices – Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome

Audio – click here to listen

Paganini, Perpetuum Mobile – Bernardino Molinari, 1937

 
Audio – click here to listen 

Ponchielli, La Gioconda: Danza delle Ore – Antonio Pappano, 2008

Created by the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in collaboration with Emac (European Music and Arts Consultants), MIBAC, Arcus SpA, Rai Radio3, Rai Teche, l’Istituto Centrale per i Beni Sonori e Audiovisivi, this extraordinary set of compact discs delineates the history of the Accademia Orchestra through a collection of previously unreleased archival recordings, several of them very rare. Along with a number of exciting live recordings of recent vintage, the collection also features several restored historical recordings with conductors such as De Sabata, Cantelli, Giulini, Barbirolli, Willy Ferrero and Markevitch. The set tells the Orchestra’s story in sound through the musical testimony of the conductors who maintained the strongest collaborative ties with our Roman musicians over the years, beginning with its permanent conductors.

Among these audio treasures are the oldest extant recording of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra (Paganini’s Perpetuum Mobile in Bernardino Molinari’s transcription, conducted by Molinari and recorded by German radio during the Orchestra’s 1937 tour of Germany). Other curiosities include what was at the time the first recording of the Vivaldi Four Seasons, which Molinari made with the Orchestra at the Augusteo. Continuing along the lines of permanent conductors and music directors, we find Beethoven’s 8th Symphony directed by Franco Ferrara, as well as Previtali, Markevitch, Sinopoli, Gatti, Chung and Pappano, whose recording of Beethoven’s 5th is featured along with music by Boulez, Ponchielli and Lehár. The historic recordings underwent any necessary restoration at Abbey Road studios in London. The boxed set also contains an illustrated booklet with statements by various conductors and musicians who have worked with Santa Cecilia. Only one regret: being unable to include examples of the work of Thomas Schippers, who as noted was also one of the Orchestra’s music directors, but who conducted only a few concerts before his demise. Unfortunately, no recordings of those concerts exist.

It is important to note that this product will be a limited edition, available only as long as copies last. It can be purchased exclusively on the Accademia internet site for € 56.
Special thanks, first of all, to the Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra, and to all the conductors who have participated in the project, to Stephen Wright, John Pattrick and Helen Forey of EMAAC in London, and to graphic artist Silvana Amato, who designed the box.