The Anthony Galla-Rini ‘Collectors’ Edition’ CD includes such numbers as Begin the Beguine, Yesterday, Italian Medley, Speak Softly, Torna A Surriento, That Old Black Magic, Rhapsody in Blue, Accordion Concerto in G Minor, The Lord’s Prayer, Lara’s Theme, Fascination, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and more.

This release includes tracks from Galla Rini’s last studio session, with half the tracks being solo recordings whilst the other half are from Galla-Rini’s 1967 Accordion Symphonette Orchestra album. The CD normally costs $15, and is special offer for $10.

Anthony Galla-Rini (1904-2006) had an extraordinarily long and successful career as a professional accordionist, composer and teacher. He was one of the first in the USA to pioneer the accordion as a concert instrument performing classical music. He is considered by many to be the first American accordionist to promote the accordion as a “legitimate” concert instrument.

Anthony Galla-Rini arranged hundreds of transcriptions for accordion ensembles, orchestras and soloists, and also played a major part in pioneering the development of the modern accordion, developing the treble and bass registers, as well as standardizing the stradella bass system on the accordion.

In 1975, the President of Italy conferred on him the title of “Cavalier of the Star of Solidarity” in recognition of his efforts towards strengthening the cultural bonds between Italian and American people and for his interest in the development of the Italian accordion in America. Galla-Rini was also the first person to be inducted in the ATG Hall of Fame on his 99th birthday in 2003.

In 1976 he composed “Accordion Concerto No. 2 in E minor” (in three movements) for the free-bass system. And in 1983 he composed “Sonata in D minor” for accordion (also in three movements). The career of Anthony Galla-Rini spanned 98 years as a professional accordionist, and more than 74 years as an accordion teacher.

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