This new Tactus CD features premiere recordings of works for violin and piano by the 18th century composer and virtuoso violinist Camillo Sivori. Sivori is particularly known for being a great advocate of the music of his teacher Nicolo Paganini.

Camillo Sivori (1815-94), often referred to as “Paganinetto” (little Paganini), was Nicolo Paganini’s only pupil, and unlike his teacher began to perform abroad at a very young age (12), receiving great admiration in the concert halls of London and Paris. From 1840, the year of Paganini’s death, he became the first artist to actively promote the great Maestro’s music, advancing and maturing the concept of interpretation, and moving beyond the limiting condition of virtuosity as an end in itself. As a violinist, he was leader of the group that produced the first performance of a cycle of all of Beethoven’s Quartets, which took place in London between 1845 and 1846. It is also known that Verdi entrusted him with the first performance of his one and only quartet.

Mauro Tortorelli and Angela Meluso have previously released works for violin and piano by Gaetano Fuselli on Tactus.

“Mauro Tortorelli has a dashing way with the more showy music and gives entirely convincing accounts of Sivori’s spectacular tricks…Angela Meluso proves herself an excellent accompanist - lively and responsive - and makes the most of her opportunity to shine in the Lucia Variations.” - Gramophone (July 2012)