Master’s Recital: A. Pasculli - Amelia - Un pensiero del Ballo in Maschera

Amelia - Un pensiero del Ballo in Maschera Antonio Pasculli (1842-1924)
The Italian composer and oboist Antonino Pasculli was one of the most virtuosic oboists of his time. He was born in Sicily during the Romantic Era and was considered a prodigy as a child. Throughout his life he traveled in Italy, Germany, and Austria, giving oboe concerts as well as directing symphonic and wind orchestras in Italy. After many years of traveling, he decided to challenge himself and compose even harder works for the oboe. In fact, he is often referred to as “The Paganini of the Oboe”. His most notable work was transcribing some of the most popular opera pieces for oboe/English horn solo works. All his pieces challenge the player to push the limits of the oboe playing by including all sorts of trills, arpeggiations, and scalar passages.
This piece was inspired by Verdi’s Opera Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball). Pasculli had huge respect for Verdi, so much so that he created his own Fantasy from Verdi’s operatic themes. He references several beautiful themes and expands upon them with ornate ornaments. In this piece, Pasculli decided to give the piano a grandiose opening. You will hear a spectacular entrance full of emotions and ascending lines leading us to the English horn’s entrance. Once the English horn enters, the character immediately changes to a more tranquil theme full of soulful, longing tunes. This section is more solo-like with lots of rubato and freedom for the English horn. Once you hear the tempo accelerating, we travel to a happier theme with lots of motion and drive. The English horn leaves us with a loud exit right before the piano takes over for their second and final solo of the piece. We then return to a more somber tune right before the piece grows and grows until the end getting faster and faster like a wild circus.

[@srenity7773]

Bravisimo!!!!❤

[@isaacisawesome6]

Beautiful playing Zeke!

[@Zekes_Oboe]

Thanks a lot!