Gaetano Donizetti

Recorded live at La Fenice, Venice, in 1972

Notturno is the eighth volume of Opera Rara’s acclaimed Il Salotto series and is essentially an album of duets, 14 in all. Literally translated as ‘nocturne’ the songs on this disc bear little resemblance to the piano pieces of the same name as exemplified by those of Chopin.

The term notturno is perhaps closer to the 18th century notturno, which basically meant an instrumental serenade performed late at night. Similarly, notturni were written for salon performances at a musical soirée. In any case, it is a mistake to assume that the vocal notturno is limited to specific subject matter, such as songs of the night or musical moods, such as dreamy languor. L’aurora, the final track on the disc, from Donizetti’s song collection Notti d’estate, in fact, is about dawn and has along with most of the other nottorni from this collection, a brisk tempo reflecting an affirmative message.

While the tone of the songs on this disc is primarily up-beat, they are not entirely bereft of references to love’s heartache. In Donizetti’s Ti sento sospiri, the mood is nevertheless joyful because the focus is on a remedy – a single pleasure. Verdi’s piece simply entitled Notturno compares the object of the speaker’s love unfavourably to a female nightingale because the latter offers comfort to her mate. The most poignant moment comes with Bellini’s song La ricordanza, a recollection of lost love. The source of the relationship’s demise is left a mystery and adds to the song’s allure.

With an introduction and notes to the songs by George Loomis the eminent musicologist and music critic, the fully illustrated 68 page booklet keeps the listener involved with this intriguing programme.

After a concert performance given at the Royal Festival Hall in October 2004 the Guardian Critic Tim Ashley had this to say: "Majella Cullagh is technically staggering, pushing herself to her expressive limits in order to convey Pia’s emotional and moral agony."