Rustic Chivalry

by Quartetto Gelato

Overview

Quartetto Gelato is basically a Canadian string trio but each member offers something beyond the usual: voice, accordion, guitar, or mandolin. In addition, there is a fourth member who plays oboe and English horn. Surprisingly, given the number of combinations possible in the group, the music is mostly boring. One exception is their performance of "O Waly, Waly" (known in America as "The Water is Wide"). On this song, oboe, accordion, and guitar offer mild support to Peter de Sotto's "Irish" tenor styling. Another welcome relief to the pastoral tedium is a passacaglia by Handel, completed by Johan Halvorsen, ably arranged for violin and cello. And there is a nice pseudo-Gypsy air called "Czardas" that brings out the violin, accordion, mandolin, and cello to good effect. You would expect that given the group's moniker they would offer up some musical wit a la P.D.Q. Bach, but most of the attempts at humor are saved for the liner notes, which are actually quite lame. Rustic Chivalry has to be counted as an interesting failure by competent musicians who did not know how to channel their enthusiasm into a coherent or interesting album. ~ Kurt Keefner

Product Details

Release Date:	11/22/2005
Label:	Koch / Linus Entertainment
UPC:	0803057005727
Rank:	158767

Tracks

1. Espagna Capriccioso
2. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act~Prelude
3. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act~Siciliana (Lola)
4. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act~Intermezzo
5. Entr'acte, for flute (or violin) & harp (or guitar) (from "Le m¿¿decin de son honneur")
6. O Waly, Waly, folk song
7. Tango del cuore
8. Passacaglia and Sarabande with Variations for violin & viola in G major (after Handel)
9. Core 'ngrato (Catari), for voice & orchestra
10. Capriccio for oboe & piano~Allegro non Tanto - Andante
11. Capriccio for oboe & piano~Allegro - Allegretto Moderato - Finale
12. Cz¿¿rdas No. 1
13. Granada, for voice & orchestra (with chorus ad lib)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Quartetto Gelato   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Cynthia Steljes   Horn (English),Oboe
Peter DeSotto   Tenor (Vocal),Violin
George Meanwell   Mandolin,Guitar,Cello
Claudio Vena   Viola,Accordion
Peter de Sotto   Violin,Tenor (Vocal)

Technical Credits

Quartetto Gelato   Arranger
Claudio Vena   Arranger,Composer
Jacques Poirier   Assistant
Michael Roper   Assistant
Scott McKowen   Package Design
Vittorio Monti   Composer
Nunzio Petruzelli   Composer
Johan Halvorsen   Composer
Cylla von Tiedemann   Photography
Jacques Ibert   Composer
Salvatore Cardillo   Composer
Jacques Poirer   Assistant
George Meanwell   Liner Notes
Pietro Mascagni   Composer
George Frederick Handel   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Agustin Lara   Composer
Amilcare Ponchielli   Composer
Chad Irschick   Mixing,Producer,Recording
George Graves   Mastering
Harold Kilianski   Technical Assistance