Quintetto Chigiano
The Quintetto Chigiano (a.k.a. Chigi Quintet) was an Italian musical ensemble comprising a string quartet with pianoforte, and was especially active during the 1940s–1960s.
Personnel
The personnel of the Quintet were made up as follows:
- 1st violin: Riccardo Brengola (leader)
- 2nd violin: Mario Benvenuti - from 1955, Angelo Stefanato - from 1960, Arnaldo Apostoli
- viola: Giovanni Leone
- cello: Lino Filippini
- piano: Sergio Lorenzi
Origins
The Quintetto Chigiano was founded in Siena, Italy, in 1939 and took its name from the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, which was founded by Count Chigi-Saracini. It was one of the rare permanent quintets in the world. The Quintet had the use of the four best instruments from Count Chigi-Saracini's private collection, namely a Camillo Camilli and a Guadagnini violin, an Amati viola and a Stradivarius violoncello.
Performance
The Quintetto Chigiano made its Boston debut in 1961 for the Peabody Mason Concert series.[1] In 1957 they completed an acclaimed tour of Southern Africa [2]
Recordings
The Quintet made several recordings for Decca Records:
- Dvořák, Piano Quintet No.2, in A major Op.81 (Released in 1950, Decca LXT2519)
- Franck, Piano Quintet in F minor (1879) (Released in June 1950, Decca LXT2520)
- Bloch, Piano Quintet No.1 in C minor (1923) (Released in 1951, Decca LXT2626)
- Brahms, Piano Quintet in F minor, Op.34 (Released in 1952, Decca LXT2687)
- Shostakovich, Piano Quintet in G minor Op.57 (Released in 1952, Decca LXT2749)
- Boccherini, Piano Quintet in A major Op.posth. and Quintet in D minor (Released in 1954, Decca LXT2841)
Having played all these works, during the 1960s the Quintet reformed itself into a Sextet.
References
- ↑ Christian Science Monitor, 16-Dec-1961, Harold Rogers, "Quintetto Chigiano's Boston debut", Boston
- ↑ Photo 1957, Quintetto Chigiano tours Southern Africa
Sources
- E. Sackville-West and D. Shawe-Taylor, The Record Year 2 (Collins, London 1953).
- E.M.G., The Art of Record-Buying 1960 (London 1960).
- E.M.G., The Monthly Newsletter (London)
- Printed flyer for Royal Festival Hall concert of Boccherini, Brahms and Dvořák. (early 1950s).