Partita (Dallapiccola)

The Partita for orchestra with a solo soprano (Alla memoria di Ernesto Consolo) by the Italian composer Luigi Dallapiccola was composed between 1930 and 1932.^[1]

Partita is the work with which Dallapiccola first came to international recognition.^[2] Written in memory of the Italian pianist Ernesto Consolo [it; de], it is scored in four movements for orchestra, with a soprano solo in the final movement. In a manner analogous to the finale of Mahler's Fourth Symphony, the setting is a childlike medieval Latin lullaby.^[2]

The work was premiered at the Teatro Comunale, Florence, on 22 January 1933 by the theatre orchestra under Vittorio Gui, with Laura Pasini [it] as soloist.

Movements

1. Passacaglia. Molto solenne
2. Burlesca. Presto ma non troppo – Pochissimo meno – Un poco più mosso – Moderato – Tempo del principio – Tumultoso
3. Recitativo e Fanfara. Violento – Calmo – Un poco mosso, ma sempre calmo – Molto più lento, trascinato – Ancora movendo – Molto mosso – Animato – Violento
4. Naenia B.M.V. ("Lullaby of the Blessed Virgin Mary"), with soprano solo. Molto tranquillo – Pochissimo più mosso – Molto tranquillo – Soavissimo – Un poco piu animato – Un poco largamente – Animando – Come prima (Animato) – Molto tranquillo – Celestiale

Recordings

• RAI Symphony Orchestra of Turin, Sergiu Celibidache (conductor), Bruna Rizzoli (soprano), recorded 1968, Turin, released Stradivarius Records STR 13608, 1989.
• BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda (conductor), Gillian Keith (soprano), recorded 2009, Manchester, released Chandos Records CHAN 10561, 2010.
• Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Karl-Heinz Steffens (conductor), Arantza Ezenarro (soprano) recorded 2014, Ludwigshafen, released Capriccio Records C5214, 2014.