Ildebrando Pizzetti: Orchestral Works

For those who thought there were no more classical discoveries worth making, this album will be a rewarding comeuppance. An Italian composer of Respighi's generation, Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968) has remained obscure outside his own country, although anyone hearing these sublime orchestral works would have to wonder why. The 24-minute "Rond Veneziano" of 1929 manages to be both mysterious and deeply communicative, with seemingly boundless melodic invention. As played so beautifully by the BBC Scottish under the star Osmo Vanksa, the entire program brims with moments that catch the ear immediately and continually tug the heart. A Hyperion disc of Frank Martin and Pizzetti choral works won Gramophone's record of the year last year, and this new album deserves a few trophies of its own.