Gulda
Gnocchi, Mianiti, OCM

Giovanni Gnocchi, cello

Orchestra da Camera di Mantova

Pietro Mianiti, conductor

F. Gulda (1930-2000)

Concerto for cello and wind orchestra

30’ | Ticket 15 €

In the evocative setting of Piazza Santa Barbara, Giovanni Gnocchi and the Orchestra da Camera di Mantova guide the audience through a musical journey that transcends the boundaries between classical music, jazz, and rock. A familiar presence at Trame Sonore since its earliest editions and particularly appreciated for his intense chamber performances, Gnocchi makes his debut on this occasion as soloist with the resident orchestra, performing Friedrich Gulda’s extraordinary Concerto for Cello and Wind Orchestra (1980). On the podium is Pietro Mianiti, principal conductor of the Orchestra of the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala and a guest at the Festival for the first time.

Composed for Heinrich Schiff and structured in five movements, the concerto challenges both soloist and ensemble on a technical and expressive level. The alternation of fanfares, blues inflections, lyrical moments, and swing rhythms creates a vivid and surprising sonic fabric, capable of deeply engaging the listener. This stylistic variety reflects one of Gulda’s mottos: “I try not to have to choose.” A versatility that made him a musician of extraordinary culture, but also a controversial figure in academic circles.

Text by Antonio Pio Caliendo