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Wolf-Ferrari: an Italian voice rediscovered

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari is still too often described through the success of his operas alone. His chamber music reveals another side: concentrated, transparent and deeply attentive to instrumental conversation.

August 20264 min read
Wolf-Ferrari: an Italian voice rediscovered
Quartetto Guadagnini · Recordings
01

Between song and structure

The Piano Quintet brings together an unmistakable melodic impulse and a carefully balanced ensemble texture. The challenge is to preserve its generosity without allowing the sound to become heavy, and to keep every inner line alive beneath the larger gestures.

That balance guided our work with pianist Costantino Catena and cellist Amedeo Cicchese. The recording, released by Brilliant Classics in 2022, also includes the Cello Sonata and Duo, placing the quintet within a broader portrait of the composer.

02

Why rediscovery matters

Returning to lesser-performed Italian repertoire is not an archaeological exercise. It expands the story we tell about chamber music and places familiar masterpieces beside works capable of changing how we hear an entire tradition.