Title: Piano Concerto with Orchestra (1. Largo, 2. Largamente Cantabile, 3. Vivace)
Composer: Alfonso Rendano (1853/1931)
Performer: Giovanni Alvino, piano
Leonardo Quadrini, conductor
RTSH National Orchestra of Albanian Radio and Television
Recording Date: September 20, 2024
Location: Sala Ferdinand Deda RTSH, Tirana, Albania
Event: RTSH Symphony Season 2024/2025
Piano Used: STEINWAY & SONS model B-211
Audio recorder: Audio 3D Ambisonic VR 360 reality
Graphic Designer: Jessica Bernardo
Alfonso Rendano (1853–1931) was an Italian composer and pianist, known for his contributions to classical music and his exceptional piano performance skills. His fame is primarily due to two distinctive contributions: his technical innovation with the invention of the "third pedal" for the piano, known as the "Rendano pedal," and his compositions, including the Piano Concerto in A minor.
The Piano Concerto
Composed between 1878 and 1880, Rendano's Piano Concerto is one of his best-known works, reflecting the Romantic influences of Chopin and Schumann. The structure and style belong to the Romantic tradition, where pianistic virtuosity and lyrical expressiveness combine to create a piece of strong emotional impact. The Concerto in A minor, in three movements, displays sophisticated melodic construction and, above all, an intense dialogue between piano and orchestra. It is considered among the few piano concertos written by an Italian composer of that era, a rare piece in the Italian scene, which leaned more toward opera.
Legacy and Rediscovery
Unfortunately, despite his talent and innovations, Rendano did not achieve lasting fame like many of his contemporaries. However, in recent decades, there has been a rediscovery of his works, and his Piano Concerto has started to be performed again, often in contexts dedicated to lesser-known Italian Romantic music. Alfonso Rendano’s Piano Concerto in A minor was recently performed on two significant occasions. The first took place on March 28, 2024, in Bulgaria, where pianist Giovanni Alvino and conductor Leonardo Quadrini performed the concerto with the Vidin Sinfonietta, thanks to the rediscovery of the original manuscript by Giancosimo Russo. Shortly afterward, on September 20, 2024, the work was performed for the first time in Albania, in the Sala Ferdinand Deda in Tirana, again by Alvino and Quadrini, with the RTSH Albanian Radio and Television National Orchestra and broadcast on RTSH 1. The performance in Tirana was received with enthusiasm. The work impressed the audience with its melodic intensity and virtuosity. Local reviews praised the performance for its sensitivity in reviving this rare gem of Italian Romantic music, with attention to its historical and artistic significance. This recent revival of Rendano confirms the value of a work appreciated since the 19th century, attracting the attention of artists like Liszt.
The September 20, 2024, concert in Tirana, featuring the Piano Concerto in A minor by Alfonso Rendano, received a positive response, both for the quality of the performance and for the historical importance of the piece, little known outside Italy. The evening, hosted in the Sala Ferdinand Deda and supported by the RTSH national orchestra, marked a significant rediscovery of Italian Romantic music with pianist Giovanni Alvino and conductor Leonardo Quadrini.
Though the work is not yet part of the more common concert repertoire, the performance in Tirana was significant.
The work of Alfonso Rendano in Tirana was performed by Giovanni Alvino, a pianist known for his interpretative skill and dedication to the Romantic repertoire, and conducted by Leonardo Quadrini, an Italian conductor with a vast background in symphonic and operatic music. Their interpretation highlighted the virtuosity and lyrical depth of the Piano Concerto in A minor, paying homage to Rendano’s legacy.
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