Sinfonie D-Moll: La Casa Del Diavolo / Sinfonie C-Dur

This recording of Luigi Boccherini’s symphonies was released on the German label Harmonie der Welt, a series focused on documenting classical repertoire during the mid-twentieth century. The inclusion of the Symphony in D Minor, known as 'La Casa del Diavolo,' is particularly significant, as it is one of Boccherini’s most dramatic works. Composed during his tenure in the Spanish court, the piece draws inspiration from the finale of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s ballet 'Don Juan,' utilizing a 'furia' motif that was strikingly modern and intense for the era.

The performance features the Orchestra dell'Angelicum di Milano, a chamber ensemble that was instrumental in the Italian music scene during the post-war period. Under the baton of Umberto Cattini, the interpretation aimed to emphasize the delicate, galant style characteristic of the composer while navigating the stormy, innovative shifts in the D Minor symphony. The release served as part of a broader effort to re-examine the symphonic output of Boccherini, who was long overshadowed by his contemporaries like Haydn and Mozart.