Rota: La Strada / Il Gattopardo
Benedetto Lupo, piano
Orquesta Ciudad de Granada
Josep Pons, conductor
Review by: Robert Zierolf

If you've heard Nina Rota's music, it's likely from scores for Fellini's films as well as some by Coppola, Visconti, and Zefferelli. As did Korngold and, more recently, Corigilano, Rota borrowed copiously from them for concert music. This CD offers film music in concert suites, and the concerto derived in part from other scores originally for the screen. It also has flavors of Poulenc's later music. Muti's recordings of La Strada and The Leopard are still available, as is the concerto in a lesser recording, but this CD is a worthwhile issue of Rota's music in concert form. An especially informative booklet accompanies the recording.

Performance:
Sound Quality:

Robert Zierolf is Professor of Music Theory and History and Division head of Composition, Musicology, and Theory at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. He is also a freelance writer on classical music.