Masterworks 4: Ciao Italia

Darko Butorac, conductor
Martina Filjak, piano
Only a few days into his visit to Italy, Mendelssohn, like many of us fortunate enough to visit Bel Paese, was already smitten: “This is Italy!” he wrote, “…and I am loving it.” He completed his Fourth Symphony shortly after his return home, and the piece — alongside the other Italy-inspired works on the program by Berlioz, Saint-Saëns, and Charpentier — paints a vibrant picture of the country as seen through the eyes of fellow non-Italians, all united in affection for the vivacious Italian culture, food, wine, and spirit. Berlioz: Le carnaval romain
Overture Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2
Charpentier: Impressions d’Italie, IV. Sur les Cimes
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4, “Italian”