Nicolas FLAGELLO (1884-1945)
Passion of Martin Luther King (original version)
L’Infinito • The Land
Ezio Flagello, bass-baritone • Ambrosian Singers
London Philharmonic Orchestra • I Musici di Firenze • Nicolas Flagello
1962 and 1969 Recordings

The Flagello brothers combined their remarkable musical talents to create the unique artistic synergy of these recordings. Ezio’s career flourished at the Metropolitan Opera and abroad, and composer Nicolas made good use of his rich bass-baritone voice in luxuriant settings of Tennyson’s verses in The Land, here partnered with Leopardi’s L’Infinito, a gloomy expression of humility and awe in the face of the Infinite. The texts used in the Passion of Martin Luther King emphasize faith, endurance and brotherly love, and this previously unissued première recording restores the moving original version of the work, with Dr King’s “Dream” re-asserted through Ezio Flagello’s towering performance as soloist.