This substantial trio sonata, the only one of its type that Mascitti published (and perhaps wrote) was included in his Op. 6 collection (Paris, 1722), where it was preceded by fourteen ordinary violin sonatas. It takes its place among a small but musically very distinguished group of late baroque sonatas for the same combination, which includes examples by Torelli, Vivaldi and Leclair. The constant dialoguing between high and middle registers that is inherent in the scoring produces a fascinating kaleidoscope of sound.
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TRIO SONATA
 Music example(pdf)
PSICHÉ (Divertissement)
Music example(pdf)
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The ‘divertissement’ Psiché, a ten-movement suite for violin and basso continuo by Michele Mascitti (1663/4–1760), the Neapolitan violinist who did more than anyone else to acclimatize the Italian sonata to a French setting, is unique among his works in having a programmatic basis. It depicts episodes from the famous romantic story of Psyche and Cupid as related in the Latin novel generally known by the name The Golden Ass by the second-century author Apuleius. At the same time, this is Mascitti’s most overt homage to his adoptive country, since several movements in it go further in the direction of the French style than anything else from his pen. It expresses among other things Cupid’s rage at Psyche’s discovery of his identity, her airborne travel powered by the winds and the tenderness between the two lovers after their reconciliation. This is a very original and immediately attractive work.
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ABRSM new piano syllabus (2023–24), Grade 6
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Published together in 2016, Christian Hartmann’s two piano miniatures have been among our best-selling and greatly appreciated scores. Reviewing them in Pianodao, Andrew Eales wrote:
“I love these two little pieces, and I am sure many late intermediate players will enjoy them equally.
They are traditional in the best sense, while the harmonies of the Nocturne in particular have a more contemporary flavour that will nicely appeal to today’s students and players.”
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Music example Little Ballerina (pdf)
Music example Nocturne (pdf)
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ABRSM Grade 6 Syllabus (2023–24)
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ABRSM new piano syllabus 2023–24 Grade 1
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Barbara Snow’s piano collection for beginner pianists, originally published in 2015, is another best-seller. Andrew Eales (Pianodao) writes:
“What impresses me most with this collection is the way in which the composer is able to introduce so much character to each of these highly accessible pieces, but without adding unnecessary complexity in the process.
I can highly recommend ‘Animal Jazz’ as a thoroughly charming collection of jazzy pieces, and suspect my own younger students are going to love it!”
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Music example (pdf)
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ABRSM Grade 1 Syllabus (2023–24)
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MOZART’S CORONATION CONCERTO arranged by HUMMEL
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| Hummel’s arrangement of the Piano Concerto in D major, K537, the fifth in the series to appear, was published in 1835. The lead-in (Eingänge) models that he provided are particularly valuable in the case of K537, which is among those concertos for which Mozart left no written-out examples. Equally importantly, Hummel might well have witnessed the work’s compositional process and first performance, and thus his own contributions could be considered as authoritative.
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ed. Leonardo Miucci & Gigliola Di Grazia
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Valse nostalgique
