PIETRO MASCAGNI (1863-1945): Suite from The Eternal City, Mein erster Walzer, Danza esotica, L'apoeosi della cicogna, Visione lirica, La gavotta delle bambole, for Tenor and Orchestra (Premiere Recordings): Ave Maria in F, Padre nostro, Serenade.

Description: 62 minutes of the non-operatic Mascagni, the largest portion being the 26 minutes of incidental music for a stage play (The Eternal City) which opened in London in late 1902. The two longest single pieces are the nine-minute erster Walzer (a salon-music-Viennese-Italian waltz!) and the "Exotic Dance", a minute shorter and which sounds in places like the Saint-Saëns' oriental excursions. All is tuneful and easy to listen to; the range of composition dates wide: 1880 to 1930. Texts and translations included. Luciano Ganci (tenor), Filarmonica '900 Teatro Regio Torino; Gianandrea Noseda.