On September 29th, 2023 mandolinist Julien Martineau’s latest album, O Sole Mio will be released on naïve classiques. Martineau here fulfills his lifelong dream of recording concertos by Vivaldi, Hummel, Raffaele Calace, with the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse under conductor Wilson Ng.

In addition to performing works with orchestra, Martineau collaborates with baritone Florian Sempey, guitarists Éric Franceries and Philippe Mouratoglou, double bassist Yann Dubost, and mandolinist Anna Schivazappa on pieces by Paganini and Mozart, and well-known Neapolitan songs including the infamous title track, O Sole Mio.

Central to the album is Calace’s Concerto for mandolin No. 1 – originally written with piano accompaniment – for which Martineau commissioned a new orchestration from composer Thibault Perrine. “In my opinion,” says Martineau, “Raffaele Calace is the central figure in the history of the mandolin, a kind of founding father of the instrument.”

Though Martineau says there was plenty of “charming” mandolin repertoire before his time, Calace added a new means of expression for the instrument, “developing a diabolical level of virtuosity.”

“We are fortunate to have a wonderful body of writing for the mandolin, which is still little explored,” says Martineau. “For every recording I am able to choose just those pieces that I consider to be chefs-d’oeuvre, whereas a pianist of a violinist often has to think twice about venturing into territories served up by an already plethoric discography: that is real freedom.”

Vivaldi - Concerto Per 2 Mandolini, Archi E Organo RV 532 I. Allegro
Vivaldi - Concerto Per 2 Mandolini, Archi E Organo RV 532 II. Andante
Vivaldi - Concerto Per 2 Mandolini, Archi E Organo RV 532 III. Allegro
Di Capua, Mazzucchi, Capurro - O Sole Mio
Valente, Tagliaferri - Passione
Calace - Concerto N°1 Op. 113 I. Marziale
Calace - Concerto N°1 Op. 113 II. Largo Tranquillo
Calace - Concerto N°1 Op. 113 III. Rondo
Paganini - Sonata Per Rovene MS 14 Introduzione, Largo Andante Sostenuto
Paganini - Sonata Per Rovene MS 14 Andantino Brillante
Paganini - Serenata MS 16 Larghetto
Paganini - Serenata MS 16 Andantino
Mozart - Don Giovanni 16. Canzonetta
Hummel - Concerto En Sol Majeur S 28 I. Allegro Moderato E Grazioso
Hummel - Concerto En Sol Majeur S 28 II. Andante Con Variazioni
Hummel - Concerto En Sol Majeur S 28 III. Rondo

This most beautiful of works opens on Vivaldi’s Concerto Per 2 Mandolini, Archi E Organo RV 532, and the stirring Allegro, the pristine, ornate Andante, and then the delightful swirl found within Allegro. The next piece is the Di Capua, Mazzucchi, Capurro titular piece O Sole Mio, a most dutifully work of musical gossamer and that is followed by the smoldering Valente, Tagliaferri work Passione.

Along next is the Raffaele Calace work Concerto N°1 Op. 113, which opens on the emboldened Marziale, then goes into the atmospheric Largo Tranquillo, ending with the striking Rondo. Niccolò Paganini’s Sonata Per Rovene MS 14 opens on the sumptuous Introduzione, Largo Andante Sostenuto and then gives us the playful Andantino Brillante, before we are lovingly brought forth the impassioned Serenata MS 16 Larghetto and then the heartfelt Andantino.

The recording rounds out on the delicate Mozart solo piece Don Giovanni 16. Canzonetta, before closing on the Johann Nepomuk Hummel work Concerto En Sol Majeur S 28, which first gives us the sprightly Allegro Moderato E Grazioso, the alluring Andante Con Variazioni, ending on the captivating Rondo.

Concerto for 2 Mandolins in G Major, RV 532: II. Andante

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