Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968) was an Italian composer and pianist, widely admired for his melodic gift, refined craftsmanship, and versatility across genres. Although best known for his large output for guitar, his works for solo piano reveal a distinct and highly personal voice that bridges tradition and modernity.
His piano music—such as Piedigrotta 1924, Alghe, I naviganti, and Le stagioni—reveals a distinct poetic voice, full of evocative imagery, folk influences, and refined harmonic language, deserving wider recognition on today’s concert stages.
Excellent performance by young Italian pianist Adriano Murgia.
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco has studied composition with Ildebrando Pizzetti and was influenced both by his Italian heritage and by the French Impressionists, particu- larly Ravel and Debussy, whose colors and textures often echo in his keyboard writing. His style is influenced by Neo- Classicism, vivid, brilliant, with the occasional odd dissonance, strongly rhythmical and full of catchy melodies. He fled Anti-semitism before WWII and settled in Hollywood where he successfully composed film music for more than 200 films.
Apart from his importance as a guitar composer Castelnuovo- Tedesco created a small but appealing oeuvre for piano solo. This new recording presents a selection of these evocative and tuneful works, which deserve to be played more often in the concert halls. Excellent performan- ce by young Italian pianist Adriano Murgia. The selected works are rich in atmosphere, tonal color, and narrative charm, often drawing from nature, memory, and place. They showcase his elegant pianistic style—romantic yet clear, melodic yet harmonically nuanced.
Adriano Murgia has participated in master classes with internationally renowned pianists, including Aldo Ciccolini, Maurizio Baglini, Artur Pizarro, Boris Petrushansky, Boris Berman and Roberto Prosseda, with whom he earned his Masters Degree in Piano Performance at Venezze Conservatory in Rovigo.
