Pianophilia

mballan wrote:Thank you gigiranalli......growing up in a totally non-music family [still reckon I'm the missing child of some artistocratic family].......the only music I remember are pieces like the Warsaw Concerto or music by Semprini......and I still have fond memories of the many pieces that at least sowed the seeds of my passion for classical music.

A work by the composer Francesco Neglia (1874-1932). Interesting website about the composer [created by a relative] at http://www.jimneglia.com.

Hopefully will please the Toccata enthusaists ! His L'arpista fantastico [Toccata].

Malcolm & Mr P

Dear Malcolm & Mr. P,
thanks for this "L'arpista fantastico"!!
The title is in Italian and it means "the fantastic harpist" (quite similar )
I'm reading the score and it really sounds like an imitation of a harp, with all those scale passages or glissandos typical of the harp players!
I'm glad you remember Semprini and liked the arrangements.
Tomorrow I'm going to post a medley of Italian popular songs of the '20s and '30s arranged by Semprini in his novelty jazzy piano style.
Best regards,
Luigi

Here I am again,
in the attachment I'm posting a zip file with the scans of Alberto Semprini's "Fantasia di Canzoni", a medley of three Italian songs arranged in Semprini's novelty piano style. I hope you'll like it.
Best
Luigi

Dear Luigi,

Thanks for the Semprini material, I'm a fan of his arrangements. On a separate topic, have you ever heard of Enrico Bormioli? For years I've had a copy of his folio "Magia di Ritmi" which contains great hot dance piano transcriptions of a number of Italian popular songs of the late 30s/early 40s. The scan is attached. I always enjoyed playing through these melodies; highly engaging music. I have another Bormioli folio which is of his original pieces arranged for two pianos (difficult to play). It's rather large but if there is sufficient interest I'll scan and post it.

All Best,
Frank

I remember having heard on radio in the mid-sixties Semprinis serenade.
Is it the same, from whom is one of the last scores?

fhimpsl wrote:Dear Luigi,

Thanks for the Semprini material, I'm a fan of his arrangements. On a separate topic, have you ever heard of Enrico Bormioli? For years I've had a copy of his folio "Magia di Ritmi" which contains great hot dance piano transcriptions of a number of Italian popular songs of the late 30s/early 40s. The scan is attached. I always enjoyed playing through these melodies; highly engaging music. I have another Bormioli folio which is of his original pieces arranged for two pianos (difficult to play). It's rather large but if there is sufficient interest I'll scan and post it.

All Best,
Frank

Dear Frank,
thanks so much for "Magia Di Ritmi"
Yes, I already have that folio and is very nice! I hope all the people here will enjoy it. Thanks for posting this rare score!
I know what's the other Bormioli folio, the one for two pianos. I photocopied it but never tried it because the music is sooo difficult...but it seems nice. The title was "Sincopati".
I'm posting another piece by Bormioli, for four hands like the Sincopati pieces. The title is "Gitana".
Maybe you have it, Frank (you have the neatest and rarest things!!) but this piece will probably be new to many members here, I think.
Since there are some Italians here, I bet none of them have ever heard of Enrico Bormioli. Is that true? He's been really forgotten here.
He and Semprini formed a successful piano duo (they were inspired by Ohman & Arden) and made a number of novelty piano recordings in Italy, recorded in Milan and Turin.
I only have one of those duet recordings (and I'm looking for more), that I post here. That's "Pacific Express", recorded by Bormioli & Semprini in 1933.
BTW among the things Bormioli and Semprini recorded, there was the second piece in "Sincopati", the one entitled "Novelty-Fox", but I've never heard that recording...
Those who have heard Semprini are certainly more familiar with his easy listening things. I post here an earlier recording he made with Italian accordionist Gorni Kramer, a medley of "Some Of These Days" and "Bugle Call Rag". A great piano and accordion duet full of pep!
I hope you enjoy the music. Ciao
Luigi

Precalculus wrote:I remember having heard on radio in the mid-sixties Semprinis serenade.
Is it the same, from whom is one of the last scores?

Hi Precalculus,
well, I'm not actuslly sure about which particular tunes you're referring to. If you mean the last tune in "Fantasia di Canzoni", the one called "Tulipano", that was a very famous song in Italy in the 1940s. Today is still well remembered.
It's called "Tulipano" (it means "tulip") here, but it's real title is "Tuli-Tuli-Pan".
I'm attaching the famous recording of this piece sung by the Lescano trio, with Pippo Barzizza's orchestra.
Maybe you've heard recordings of Semprini called "Fantasia di Canzoni", but he recorded a lot of medleys under that title, so I don't know if he also recorded the particular medley of that score.
Enjoy the music. Best
Luigi

gigiranalli wrote:

fhimpsl wrote:Dear Luigi,

Thanks for the Semprini material, I'm a fan of his arrangements. On a separate topic, have you ever heard of Enrico Bormioli? For years I've had a copy of his folio "Magia di Ritmi" which contains great hot dance piano transcriptions of a number of Italian popular songs of the late 30s/early 40s. The scan is attached. I always enjoyed playing through these melodies; highly engaging music. I have another Bormioli folio which is of his original pieces arranged for two pianos (difficult to play). It's rather large but if there is sufficient interest I'll scan and post it.

All Best,
Frank

Dear Frank,
thanks so much for "Magia Di Ritmi"
Yes, I already have that folio and is very nice! I hope all the people here will enjoy it. Thanks for posting this rare score!
I know what's the other Bormioli folio, the one for two pianos. I photocopied it but never tried it because the music is sooo difficult...but it seems nice. The title was "Sincopati".
I'm posting another piece by Bormioli, for four hands like the Sincopati pieces. The title is "Gitana".
Maybe you have it, Frank (you have the neatest and rarest things!!) but this piece will probably be new to many members here, I think.
Since there are some Italians here, I bet none of them have ever heard of Enrico Bormioli. Is that true? He's been really forgotten here.
He and Semprini formed a successful piano duo (they were inspired by Ohman & Arden) and made a number of novelty piano recordings in Italy, recorded in Milan and Turin.
I only have one of those duet recordings (and I'm looking for more), that I post here. That's "Pacific Express", recorded by Bormioli & Semprini in 1933.
BTW among the things Bormioli and Semprini recorded, there was the second piece in "Sincopati", the one entitled "Novelty-Fox", but I've never heard that recording...
Those who have heard Semprini are certainly more familiar with his easy listening things. I post here an earlier recording he made with Italian accordionist Gorni Kramer, a medley of "Some Of These Days" and "Bugle Call Rag". A great piano and accordion duet full of pep!
I hope you enjoy the music.
Ciao
Luigi

Dear Luigi,

Many thanks for the four-hand "Gitana" piece by Bormioli - I did not have this one. The four hand collection I do have is what you mentioned ie. the "Sincopati" group. These are such difficult pieces!! Obviously Bormioli and Semprini were both virtuosi. I think tomorrow I will post the "Sincopati" folio even though it's a long one...may be good to list this one in the "Four Hands On One PIano" thread, with a link to the Syncopations thread. On the recordings; just outstanding! That "Pacific Express" number is a real sleeper!

All best,
Frank

Here is the Enrico Bormioli "Sincopati" folio for 2pianos/4hands - popular tangos, waltzes, fox trots. A very challenging score for popular music - Enjoy!


Frank

Moderator edit:

Files deleted. Members please see viewtopic.php?f=11&t=84&start=60 where Frank had also loaded the files.

Frank, please only load each file in just one location, not two, even if a file could easily belong in several locations. You can always post a redirection link as I have done if you feel it necessary.

Rob

Semprini's serenade ...

... was a weekly serial program, I listend to it -in the early/mid sixties when studying- on MW radio (was it a BBC station? I can't remember).
Popular music was played, practically all pieces with piano + orchestra.
And the series title was "Semprins Serenade".
The name came in my mind, when reading here Semprini as composer/arranger.

Precalculus wrote:Semprini's serenade ...

... was a weekly serial program, I listend to it -in the early/mid sixties when studying- on MW radio (was it a BBC station? I can't remember).
Popular music was played, practically all pieces with piano + orchestra.
And the series title was "Semprins Serenade".
The name came in my mind, when reading here Semprini as composer/arranger.

Surely what was then called the BBC Light Programme - which became Radio Two - although I am happy to be corrected by older members here (Brian!?)

Anyway, Semprini was actually a British composer although from Italian stock.