Oboist Marika Lombardi with "SOLO" on RAI Radio 3

"Primo Movimento" program on RAI Radio 3 will present the album "SOLO" on June 20th at 9:30 AM. The double album, released by NovAntiqua Records, represents what the oboist Marika Lombardi describes as an "autobiographical musical and artistic journey" exploring the oboe's expressive possibilities across two distinct musical periods.
The recording project, which took shape during the pandemic lockdown, showcases Lombardi's interpretative approach to both baroque and contemporary repertoire. "SOLO is the sound of the oboe in all its purity and alluring melancholy," explains the Milan-trained musician, who has been based in Paris since 1988.
The two-disc set presents contrasting musical worlds that Lombardi identifies as "two antipodes" in her expressive range. The baroque disc features transcriptions of works originally written for other instruments, including Bach's Partita in A minor BWV 1013, originally composed for flute, and Marin Marais' variations on "Les Folies d'Espagne," initially written for viola da gamba. Lombardi made deliberate choices in her transcriptions, selecting only those variations she felt could be successfully adapted to highlight the oboe's unique timbral qualities.
The contemporary disc reflects Lombardi's commitment to expanding the oboe repertoire, featuring lesser-known works by composers including Bruno Bettinelli, Tom Johnson, and Finnish composer Lasse Jalava. Several pieces on the recording have never been previously recorded, discovered by Lombardi "by chance while rummaging in music shops between concerts."
A graduate of Milan's G. Verdi Conservatory, Lombardi holds three advanced diplomas in oboe performance and has studied with renowned masters including Pierre Pierlot, Maurice Bourgue, and Hansjörg Schellenberger. She currently serves as artistic director of the Festival 'Oboe' of Paris and the International Festival 'Risonanze Armoniche' in Lasino, Trento.
The recording project carries personal significance for the artist, who dedicates the album to her family and particularly acknowledges her brother Sebastiano's assistance in its realization. An underlying theme of dance connects both discs, reflecting Lombardi's early aspirations as a ballet dancer before choosing a musical career.
Listeners can tune in to RAI Radio 3's "Primo Movimento" on June 20th at 9:30 AM to hear Lombardi discuss the recording and her approach to these diverse musical works that span from Bach to contemporary composers.