Francesca Leonardi

Francesca Dego & Francesca Leonardi – Suite Italienne (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:13:09 minutes | 1,21 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Universal Music Italia srL.

A world premiere recording of three works by the Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. The Italian violin and piano duo Francesca Dego and Francesca Leonardi will release a new album on Deutsche Grammophon this October, featuring Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne, Respighi’s Violin Sonata in B minor for violin and piano and the world premiere recording of three works by the Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

In addition to violin paraphrases of operas by Rossini and Verdi, the album includes Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s “Ballade” Op. 107 for violin and piano, which was written for and premiered by Tossy Spivakovsky in 1940. It was left to gather dust until February 2018, when it was recovered by Dego with the assistance of the composer’s granddaughter, Diana Castelnuovo-Tedesco. It is now available internationally in print thanks to Edizioni Curci.

(more…)

Francesca Dego & Francesca Leonardi – Il Cannone: Francesca Dego Plays Paganini’s Violin (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:04:04 minutes | 1,16 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Chandos

Paganini’s violin, the legendary “il Cannone”, made by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù in 1743, is one of the most important musical instruments in the history of Western music. Paganini was the greatest virtuoso of his time, acclaimed throughout Europe and an inspiration to performers and composers alike. On his death, he bequeathed “il Cannone” to his home city of Genoa, where it is permanently housed under high security in the Town Hall.

(more…)

Francesca Dego, Francesca Leonardi – Mozart Violin Sonatas KV. 301, KV. 303, KV. 305, KV. 454 (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:10:13 minutes | 1,19 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Chandos

Following her critically acclaimed recording with Sir Roger Norrington and the RSNO of Violin Concertos by Mozart, Francesca Dego turns to a selection of his violin sonatas with her long-term recital partner, Francesca Leonardi. Dego comments: “Francesca and I have been playing together for seventeen years, more than half my life and the totality of my career. To work as a duo on a regular basis means reaching common interpretative solutions, ones that sum up each player’s qualities, and creates a great sense of mutual responsibility. What you do together somehow feels naturally complete. We decided to build this album around our very favourite Sonata, KV 454 in B-flat major, which we had been performing for many years and in which Mozart’s simplicity and flamboyance coexist in perfect harmony”.
(more…)

Francesca Dego, Francesca Leonardi – Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 6, 7 & 10 (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:27:59 minutes | 1,47 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Deutsche Grammophon (DG)

Francesca Leonardi has established herself as one of the best young violinists on the international musical scene. Recently signed by Deutsche Grammophon, her debut album with the 24 Paganini Caprices recorded on the ex-Ricci Guarneri del Gesù was released in October 2012 and received high critical acclaim. She is now recording the complete Beethoven violin sonatas, the final volume to be released in Fall 2015. She is also featured guest artist in Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo’s album ‘Ave Maria’ released by Sony Classical. She is a winner of numerous national and international competitions. In 2008 she was the first Italian female violinist since 1961 to reach the final of the renowned “Paganini Competition” in Genoa and she won the “Enrico Costa” prize for having been the youngest finalist.
(more…)