Ernesto de Curtis
Ernesto (1835-1937) and GianBattista were two brothers who made the name of De Curtis famous in the Neapolitan music scape.
Ernesto studied piano with the well known teacher Vincenzo Valente. He soon showed interest in composition, and his first song A prima vota was written to lyrics by his brother GianBattista. The partnership flourished, reaching a peak with Come back to Sorrento which almost became a national song. Ernesto was a fine pianist and accompanist who played for many celebrated singers including Beniamino Gigli.
Compositions by Ernesto de Curtis appear on
Mandolino Italiano
The Melbourne Mandolin Orchestra presents a programme built around Italian melody and the Neapolitan mandolin tradition. Bitelli, a Bellini fantasy, period arias with soprano, a Verdi La Traviata fantasy, Toselli’s Serenade, and well-loved popular songs.
Forgotten Dreams
In 1999 Concordia director Basil Hawkins first heard Hadjidakis’s The Waltz of Forgotten Dreams. Struck by its atmospheric, evocative character, he shaped a programme of kindred nostalgia, including Eileen Pakenham’s Reverie and Fred Witt’s Memories of Bendigo.