Presents
Fortunato Luzzatto
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Suite for 2 Violins, Cello & Piano in G Major, Op.51
Fortunato Luzzatto (1857-1937) was born in the city of Trieste, then part of the Austrian Habsburg Empire. He studied piano and composition first at the Milan Conservatory and then at the Vienna Conservatory. After briefly touring, he settle in Paris where he remained for the rest of his life working as a teacher, performer and composer. He wrote in most genres. His chamber music includes three piano trios, a piano quartet and this Suite. His works were quite popular in England and France judging from reviews which appeared. Of Luzzatto's chamber music, the prominent music critic and musicologist Carl Eschmann-Demur in his Guide du jeune pianiste wrote, "It is a great pleasure to listen to his compositions, and we place them at once as being the most exquisite in the collection of modern works. They charm you with their melody and harmony and contain the abandon, grace and rich coloring of the South coupled with the seriousness and science of Northern music."
His Suite for 2 Violins, Cello and Piano, Op.51 dates from the early 1890s. It was dedicated to his friends Mr and Mrs Emmanuel Spielmann a prominent Parisian patron of music on the occassion of their silver wedding anniversary. The Suite is everything that Monsieur Demur says will be found in Luzzatto's music. The opening Moderato is gracious and elegant. The sweet and lyrical Andante which comes next is left entirely to the strings as the piano is tacet. Third is an Allegretto, a kind of an intermezzo which has been likened to a lullaby. The upbeat finale, Allegro con brio, is jovial and full of forward movement.
An altogether very likeable work which can be warmly recommended to amateur ensembles looking to present an appealing work in concert but it should also be of interest to professionals. Another work for this rare combination which we offer is Dvorak's Bagatelles.
Parts: $34.95
