Flagello’s early works,
written when was still a boy of 10 or
so, were brought to the attention of
the composer Vittorio Giannini who became
his mentor and friend. He studied at
the Manhattan School of Music and later
taught there as well as at the Curtis
Institute in Philadelphia. Winning a
Fulbright Fellowship in 1955 allowed
him to go to Rome and study with Pizzetti
at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. At
that time, he composed his Theme,
Variations and Fugue, one of
his earliest major works, although he
already had a number of works to his
credit including two operas, a piano
concerto and a flute concerto. This
imposing substantial work is thus no
mere prentice piece. Quite the contrary.
The rather sombre and ominous theme
is followed by a set of nine sizeable
variations displaying the many facets
of Flagello’s talents as well as some
considerable formal mastery. The piece
is rounded-off by a powerful fugue culminating
in a monumental coda, with much percussion
and organ.
Flagello’s ability
to work in the long term, in long paragraphs,
is also fully displayed in the impressive
Symphony No.1 completed
in 1968 and first performed in 1971
by the Manhattan School of Music symphony
orchestra conducted by the composer.
This big-boned Neo-romantic symphony
is on a large scale. Its four movements
play for more than half an hour. The
first three (Allegro molto, Andante
lento and Allegretto brusco)
are roughly of equal length. The heart
of the symphony, however, lies in the
weighty final Ciaccona. The Allegro
molto roughly cast in sonata-allegro
form opens with a bold motif on which
the entire symphony is based. The music
moves forward with energy to reach a
mighty climax. The second movement Andante
lento is a large-scale song for orchestra
building towards an imposing climax
before winding its way back to the mood
of the opening. The third movement is
a rather ironic and at times bitter-sweet
Scherzo-and-trio. The final Ciaccona
is another substantial theme and variations
culminating in a full orchestral blaze.
Sea Cliffs
for strings is a much shorter and relaxed
piece of music, a beautiful barcarolle,
that could find its place in any American
String Miniatures disc, if such
was ever planned. This is a beautifully
atmospheric miniature of great charm,
suitable for amateur players.
The Manhattan School
of Music’s Preparatory Division commissioned
an opera that could be performed and
enjoyed by children. Flagello based
his libretto on Robert Browning’s poem
The Pied Piper of Hamelin. The
music is tuneful and straightforward,
although the composer did not write
down to his younger performers, as can
be appreciated in the Intermezzo recorded
here, a miniature tone poem in all but
the name.
Flagello’s music is
fairly traditional and much indebted
to the Neo-romantic tradition, and clearly
imbued with what Stanford used to refer
to as ‘The Eternal Verities’. It is
superbly crafted and displays a remarkable
formal mastery and orchestral flair.
Keep in mind that Flagello was also
much active as a conductor (I still
cherish an old LP of his [Peters PLE
054 published in 1977, nla] including
the then unrecorded Light Music
by Rawsthorne and the Five Aquarelles
by Francis Chagrin that still await
first modern recordings); and, as a
result, possessed an intimate knowledge
of the orchestra.
In short, warmly Romantic
music of considerable substance and
expressive strength, in excellent performances
and well recorded. Well worth more than
the occasional hearing.
Hubert Culot
see also review
by Rob Barnett
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra/David Amos
