Presents
Bartolomeo Bruni
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SOUNDBITES |
Six String Trios, Op.36
For 2 Violins and Cello or 2 Violins and Viola
Antonio Bartolomeo Bruni (1757-1821) was born in the Italian city of Cuneo. He studied violin with the Italian virtuoso Gaetano Pugnani after which he moved to Paris where he enjoyed considerable success as a conductor, performer and composer. He served as conductor of the orchestra of Concert Spiritual, was a member of the Theatre Italien and served with Giovanni Battista Viotti as co-director of the Theatre Monsieur. Under Napoleon, he was appointed First Violin to the Empress Josephine. Like most of his contemporaries, he was a prolific composer, penning several operas and dozens of chamber music works, primarily string trios and quartets.
The Op.36 trios were published in 1814 and dedicated to the prominent Parisian publisher Jean-Jerome Imbault, also a violinist. These particular trios were among his most popular works and went through several editions not only in France but also in German, Austria and England in part because of the fine part-writing and appealing melodies. Surprisingly, there seem to be no commercial recordings. We present four movements played by various amateur ensembles at live performances. Pardon the background noise.
These trios would do well in concert and can be warmly recommended to amateurs looking for effective performance works as they present no technical difficulties.