Franco Ferrara(1911-1985)

[Dundonnell]

I am not sure that Franco Ferrara does actually deserve a thread all of his own in the Composer Discussion but I was not sure where else to post this comment

Ferrara is best remembered as a hugely influential teacher of hundreds of pupils, many of whom went on to become eminent conductors-Riccardo Chailly is but one example. Ferrara had been a conductor himself until accute nerves forced his retirement from the podium. He also composed a substantial quantity of music, including a lot of film music.

Naxos recently released a disc of four orchestral pieces played by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma conducted by Francesco La Vecchia.

The work which really struck me and which I encourage others to hear if they can is the Fantasia tragica. This piece is like nothing else (I suspect) in Italian music. It is Ferrara's tribute to Shostakovich and bears some relation to the third movement of the Russian composer's Symphony No.11.

If for no other reason the Fantasia tragica would make an excellent musical quiz selection. I very much doubt that anyone hearing the piece without knowing the composer would ever guess its country of origin

[Roy Bland]

http://www.rugginenti.it/website/it/edizioni/item/3607-franco-ferrara-genio-dolore-ricerca