Guido Cantelli, who died at the age of 36, was a shooting star in orchestral conducting. In just a few short years, this unique conductor with a personality strong enough to impress Toscanini gained an international reputation and became Music Director of La Scala in Milan. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth, Warner Classics is releasing this retrospective ten-CD set covering his entire work for the label (then EMI Classics).
These recordings testify to Cantelli’s exemplary efforts, as well as to his spirit and intelligence, but also to the sensitivity with which he conducted his musicians. All of this fits well with the symphonic repertoire gathered in this box set – Tchaikovsky, Rossini, Wagner, but also Debussy and Ravel, among others. Although the selection goes a little in all directions (we find a mixture of complete works and somewhat disparate excerpts), the ensemble nevertheless paints a faithful portrait of the artist.
