Tarantella

Raffaele Bellafronte is an Italian composer who has written for a wide range of instruments and styles. His music includes works for solo piano (his main instrument), flute and clarinet and various partnerships of instruments plus chamber music and orchestral works. Writing in what is perhaps the most recognizable of Italian musical styles, Bellafronte offers the player a tuneful and energetic two-and-a-half minutes of foot-tapping, entertaining music. This particular tarantella has a rather infectious tune which stays in the head afterwards and this melodic line is underscored with some attractive dissonances here and there, the whole reminiscent of circus/fairground music. With the 5th and 6th strings tuned to G and D respectively and lots of flying around the fingerboard at pace, this piece is really only for the highgrade player. The presentation is excellent and the music well fingered by one Davide Di Ienno (who performs this piece on You Tube). Good fun.

Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)