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.
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: I. Preambolo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: II. Scherzo – Presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: III. Adagio
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Idillio – Concertino in A Major, Op. 15: IV. Rondò – Allegro non troppo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: I. Allegro
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: II. Andante
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: III. Scherzo – Presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Serenata for Strings: IV. Finale – Presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: I. Notturno – Andante un poco mosso
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: II. Strimpellata – Presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: III. Canzone – Andante cantabile
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Suite – Concertino in F Major, Op. 16: IV. Finale – Andante con moto
Disk 2
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: I. Preludio
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: II. Capriccio
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: III. Adagio
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: English Horn Concertino, Op. 34: IV. Finale
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: I. Fantasia
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: II. Romanza
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: III. Improvviso
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 26: IV. Rondò
Disk 3
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 1: I. Sostenuto – Allegro appassionato quasi presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 1: II. Lento senza tempo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 1: III. Sostenuto – Allegro ma non troppo e con spirito
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 10: I. Appassionato
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 10: II. Recitativo – Sostenuto con amore, semplicemente
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: I. Allegro moderato
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: II. Andantino con innocenza
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: III. Agitato con passione
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E Major, Op. 27: IV. Allegro molto con fuoco piu allegro del primo tempo
Disk 4
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: I. Allegro molto moderato
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: II. Presto, vivace, tempo I
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: III. Larghetto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 5: IV. Allegro vivace assai
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
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 7: II. Largo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Trio No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 7: III. Lievemente mosso, e tranquillo sempre
Disk 5
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: I. Tranquillo ed espressivo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: II. Canzone
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: III. Capriccio
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Piano Quintet in D-Flat Major, Op. 6: IV. Finale
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Duo for Violin and Cello in G Minor, Op. 33
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Major, Op. 30: I. Allegro tranquillo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Major, Op. 30: II. Largo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Major, Op. 30: III. Allegro
Disk 6
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: I. Allegro – Andante tranquillo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: II. Andante cantabile
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: III. Capriccio. Allegro pesante
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 23: IV. Allegro
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): I. Allegro moderato
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): II. Adagio non troppo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): III. Allegro vivacissimo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quartet in A Minor (Unpublished, 1894): IV. Finale. Allegro assai
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): I. Allegro assai quasi presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): II. Larghetto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): III. Prestissimo
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Quintet in C Major, Op. 24 (1942): IV. Molto mosso alla breve
Disk 7
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in B Minor (1894): I. Allegro
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in B Minor (1894): II. Larghetto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in B Minor (1894): III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in C Minor: III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in C Minor: IV. Adagio molto – Presto
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in A minor Op. 32 (Unpublished, 1945): I. Allegro moderato
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in A minor Op. 32 (Unpublished, 1945): II. Pastorale (andante tranquillo)
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: String Trio in A minor Op. 32 (Unpublished, 1945): III. Allegro
Disk 8
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Bagatelle No. 1
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Undici Variazioni
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Chopin-Phantasie in B Minor
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Scherzino
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Impromptus, Op. 13: I. Andante
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Impromptus, Op. 13: II. Tranquillo, rubato
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Impromptus, Op. 13: III. Appassionato, cantando
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Piano Pieces ,Op. 14: I. Melodie
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Piano Pieces ,Op. 14: II. Capriccio
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: 3 Piano Pieces ,Op. 14: III. Romanze
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