Wolf-Ferrari: Concertante Works, Chamber Music, Piano Music (Italian Romantics Series)

Wolf-Ferrari: Concertante Works, Chamber Music, Piano Music (Italian Romantics Series)
Composer Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
Artist Various artists
Format 8 CD
Cat. number 97738
EAN code 5028421977386
Release June 2025

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About this release

Brilliant Classics have amassed a vibrant catalogue of recordings of the instrumental music of Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari in the last half decade.
The Venetian composer is best known for his comic operas, but his neglected instrumental output is being championed on the Brilliant label by Italian pianist Costantino Catena, who features in this well-rounded 8-CD set in solos as well as in the Violin Sonatas, Cello Sonata and Piano Quintet.
Completing the chamber music side are recent recordings of the String Trios and Quartets, the Piano Trios and the Violin-Cello duo.
Larger, concertante forces are represented here by the stunning disc of the Idillio and Suite (concertinos for oboe and bassoon, respectively) and the Serenade for strings, made by Wolf-Ferrari’s fellow North-eastern Italians of the New ‘Busoni’ Orchestra (Trieste).
To complete this section, Brilliant have thoughtfully licensed in a third Concertino (for cor anglais) and the Violin Concerto from Italian label Tactus.

Other information:
- Recordings date from 2006–2023
- Booklet in English features all liner notes from the original releases

- new issue in the Brilliant Classics series “The Italian Romantics”, paying tribute to the rich heritage of instrumental (as opposed to vocal, operatic) music by Italian composers in the Romantic/Late-Romantic era.
- Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876-1948) is a composer difficult to classify. A child of his time he kept aloof from the innovations of the modernists and dodecaphony. As son of a German father and a noble-born Venetian mother he was born in Venice and went to study in Munich. He became famous as an opera composer. His style is romantic, tinged with impressionism and the odd neoclassical hint. His aim was to create a “universal beauty” in his works, where no rules apply, but only a feeling of well-being and sensuousness.
- This comprehensive 8-CD set features concertante works: violin concerto, oboe concertino, serenade for strings, concertino for English horn and concertino for bassoon, horns and strings. The complete chamber music presents the violin sonatas, cello sonata, piano trios, piano quintet, string trios, quartets and quintet. The last CD presents works for piano solo.
- Excellent performances by Italian musicians, expressing their deep love for the music of their compatriot.

Track list

Disk 1

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: I. Preambolo
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: II. Scherzo – Presto
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: III. Adagio
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: IV. Rondò – Allegro non troppo
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: I. Allegro
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: II. Andante
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: III. Scherzo – Presto
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: IV. Finale – Presto
  9. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: I. Notturno – Andante un poco mosso
  10. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: II. Strimpellata – Presto
  11. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: III. Canzone – Andante cantabile
  12. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: IV. Finale – Andante con moto

Disk 2

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: I. Preludio
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: II. Capriccio
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: III. Adagio
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: IV. Finale
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: I. Fantasia
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: II. Romanza
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: III. Improvviso
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: IV. Rondò

Disk 3

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 1: I. Sostenuto – Allegro appassionato quasi presto
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 1: II. Lento senza tempo
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 1: III. Sostenuto – Allegro ma non troppo e con spirito
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 10: I. Appassionato
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 10: II. Recitativo – Sostenuto con amore, semplicemente
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: I. Allegro moderato
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: II. Andantino con innocenza
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: III. Agitato con passione
  9. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: IV. Allegro molto con fuoco piu allegro del primo tempo

Disk 4

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: I. Allegro molto moderato
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: II. Presto, vivace, tempo I
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: III. Larghetto
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: IV. Allegro vivace assai
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 7: I. Sostenuto, agitato, tranquillo, più tranquillo, sostenuto, tempo del principio, Più mosso, largamente
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 7: II. Largo
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 7: III. Lievemente mosso, e tranquillo sempre

Disk 5

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: I. Tranquillo ed espressivo
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: II. Canzone
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: III. Capriccio
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: IV. Finale
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Duo for Violin and Cello in G Minor, Op. 33
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Major, Op. 30: I. Allegro tranquillo
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Major, Op. 30: II. Largo
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Major, Op. 30: III. Allegro

Disk 6

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: I. Allegro – Andante tranquillo
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: II. Andante cantabile
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: III. Capriccio. Allegro pesante
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: IV. Allegro
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): I. Allegro moderato
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): II. Adagio non troppo
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): III. Allegro vivacissimo
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): IV. Finale. Allegro assai
  9. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): I. Allegro assai quasi presto
  10. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): II. Larghetto
  11. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): III. Prestissimo
  12. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): IV. Molto mosso alla breve

Disk 7

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in B Minor (1894): I. Allegro
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in B Minor (1894): II. Larghetto
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in B Minor (1894): III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in C Minor: III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in C Minor: IV. Adagio molto – Presto
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in A minor Op. 32 (Unpublished, 1945): I. Allegro moderato
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in A minor Op. 32 (Unpublished, 1945): II. Pastorale (andante tranquillo)
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in A minor Op. 32 (Unpublished, 1945): III. Allegro

Disk 8

  1. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Bagatelle No. 1
  2. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Undici Variazioni
  3. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Chopin-Phantasie in B Minor
  4. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Scherzino
  5. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Impromptus, Op. 13: I. Andante
  6. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Impromptus, Op. 13: II. Tranquillo, rubato
  7. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Impromptus, Op. 13: III. Appassionato, cantando
  8. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Piano Pieces ,Op. 14: I. Melodie
  9. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Piano Pieces ,Op. 14: II. Capriccio
  10. Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Piano Pieces ,Op. 14: III. Romanze