Lilly Phillips (violoncello)
Anne Mukle (pianoforte)
(First broadcast performance)
Leone Sinigaglia was bofn in Turin in 1868. He studied at the Liceo Musicale and later went to Vienna where he made the acquaintance of Goldmark and Dvorak. The latter invited him to Prague for a year to study with him as his private pupil. In 1899 Sinigaglia returned to Turin and soon established himself as a composer of great gifts. His chief champion in England has been Sir Henry Wood , who has produced several of his orchestral works including the popular suite ' Piedmont ', which has also been sponsored by Toscanini both in Italy and America.
Much of Sinigaglia's music is directly influenced by his native folk song, of which he has made a deep study. Among his chamber music is the Cello Sonata to be heard this afternoon, which was composed in 1923. It is a well-written, interesting work, showing, like most of the composer's music, the influence of his native folk song.