Neapolitan Cafe

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Quartetto Gelato presents the best possible kind of crossover programs. The group members are basically classical musicians, and unusually versatile ones, and they always include at least one piece of substantial music in their recordings (in this case a set of bagatelles by Dvorák, with the harmonium part played on an accordion)) along with tasty lighter material. Peter De Sotto, who plays violin and mandolin, also sings in a pretty light tenor that is just right for the Neapolitan songs he performs here. The choice of material moves a little outside the Neapolitan orbit, not only with Dvorák but also with Piazzolla and a delicious "Criminal Tango" by someone named T. Trambella. Quartetto Gelato's CDs make perfect dinner music, but they are so well performed that they also make entertaining listening programs. That's true of this new release even though the program is a little lighter than usual. Not recommended for snobs, but nearly everyone else will enjoy it thoroughly. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

Tango Del Mare
Mattinata
Ave Maria
Mazurka
Lolita
Al Di La
Four Bagatelles
Four Bagatelles
Four Bagatelles
Four Bagatelles
Words That I Want
Criminal Tango
Torna A Surriento
The Clown Of Venice
Rondine Al Nido
Waltz Brillante
Volare

Amazon.com

Quartetto Gelato presents the best possible kind of crossover programs. The group members are basically classical musicians, and unusually versatile ones, and they always include at least one piece of substantial music in their recordings (in this case a set of bagatelles by Dvorák, with the harmonium part played on an accordion)) along with tasty lighter material. Peter De Sotto, who plays violin and mandolin, also sings in a pretty light tenor that is just right for the Neapolitan songs he performs here. The choice of material moves a little outside the Neapolitan orbit, not only with Dvorák but also with Piazzolla and a delicious "Criminal Tango" by someone named T. Trambella. Quartetto Gelato's CDs make perfect dinner music, but they are so well performed that they also make entertaining listening programs. That's true of this new release even though the program is a little lighter than usual. Not recommended for snobs, but nearly everyone else will enjoy it thoroughly. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Sumptuous Delight---Gelato indeed!!!.......2002-11-10

I was first introduced to this album when my teacher put it on as background music during a reed-making session. My first thought, of course, was, "What the dickens?" My second thought was: "Hey. . . cool!" Quartetto plays everything and anything with such intelligence, flair, and joie de vivre that even the most casual listener can't help but be enthralled. Neapolitan Café is a charming collection of lively tangos, bizarre yet gorgeous interpretations of standard classical reperatoire, new music, a couple of folk tunes, and even a fifties pop song thrown in at the end. The viruosity and musicianship is remarkable and even a bit surprising: Macerollo's accordian playing will knock downright your socks off; Meanwell's guitar is flavourful and his cello is rich (if not showcased quite so much); De Sotto, besides playing a great rustic violin and mandolin, sings in a brilliant tenor; and Steljes' oboe playing flies as she takes up parts written for all sorts of unoboistic instruments (including a mandolin part in the Waltz Brillante). This odd instrumentation gives an eccentric and fun flavour to everything they do that you will find nowhere else, and I doubt you will ever have more fun listening to Volare than as rendered here (by violin, cello, oboe and accordian). An insight of the best chamber musicians shines in certain places, too, parcticularly in the beautiful interpretation of the Dvoøák bagatelles and the strikingly lyrical Ave Maria of Piazzola. The only thing about this disc that I really don't like is the engineering, which tends to overbalance on the oboe and is too loud for some of my speakers. But if you have speakers that are better than my cheap ones, and you're in the mood for an eclectic hour, then make yourself a lattè, put on some multicoloured lights, pop in Neapolitan Café, and dance away!

Marvelous!.......2002-01-18

Before hearing (and seeing) Quartetto Gelato, Classical music didn't interest me much. I would go to symphony concerts once and a while, but felt like falling asleep half way through the program. With Quartetto Gelato staying awake was not a problem! I recently bought Neapolitan Cafe and it hasn't been put back in its case since! A must have!

Marvelous!.......2002-01-18

Antidote.......2001-11-13

A pleasant antidote to the New-Age plague.

Stopped the car.......2001-11-04

I first heard this on an NPR station and stopped the car so I could write down the name. And after hearing it almost every day for several weeks, I'm still enthralled.

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