VA – Viotti Complete String Quartets (2019)

Artist: Franco Mezzena, Luca Ranieri, Nancy Barnaba & Cecilia Berioli
Title: Viotti: Complete String Quartets
Year Of Release: 2019
Label: Brilliant Classics
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks+booklet)
Total Time: 260:06 min

Tracklist:

01. Quartetto concertante No. 3 in G-Flat Major: I. Larghetto-Allegro moderato
02. Quartetto concertante No. 3 in G-Flat Major: II. Minuetto
03. Quartetto concertante No. 3 in G-Flat Major: III. Andantino
04. Quartetto concertante No. 3 in G-Flat Major: IV. Allegretto
05. Quartetto concertante No. 1 in A Major, Op. 3: I. Allegro moderato
06. Quartetto concertante No. 1 in A Major, Op. 3: II. Andantino con espressione
07. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in C Major, Op. 3: I. Allegro
08. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in C Major, Op. 3: II. Andante
09. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in C Major, Op. 3: III. Allegro
10. Quartetto concertante No. 3 in F Major, Op. 3: I. Allegro
11. Quartetto concertante No. 3 in F Major, Op. 3: II. Andante con un poco di moto
12. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in B-Flat Major: I. Larghetto - Tempo giusto
13. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in B-Flat Major: II. Andante
14. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in B-Flat Major: III. Minuetto-Trio
15. Quartetto concertante No. 2 in B-Flat Major: IV. Allegretto
16. Quartetto No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 1: I. Allegro vivace
17. Quartetto No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 1: II. Andantino. Allegretto
18. Quartetto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1: I. Maestoso
19. Quartetto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1: II. Adagio
20. Quartetto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1: III. Rondò-Allegretto
21. Quartetto No. 6 in E Major, Op. 1: I. Allegro
22. Quartetto No. 6 in E Major, Op. 1: II. Rondò-Allegretto
23. Quartetto concertante No. 1 in F Major: I. Moderato
24. Quartetto concertante No. 1 in F Major: II. Minuetto più tosto presto
25. Quartetto concertante No. 1 in F Major: III. Andante
26. Quartetto concertante No. 1 in F Major: IV. Allegretto con un po' di moto
27. Quartetto concertante No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 3: I. Allegro assai
28. Quartetto concertante No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 3: II. Andante con espressione. Allegretto
29. Quartetto concertante No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 3: I. Moderato
30. Quartetto concertante No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 3: II. Adagio
31. Quartetto concertante No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 3: III. Allegretto
32. Quartetto concertante No. 6 in E-Flat Major, Op. 3: I. Allegro
33. Quartetto concertante No. 6 in E-Flat Major, Op. 3: II. Andante
34. Quartetto concertante No. 6 in E-Flat Major, Op. 3: III. Allegro vivace
35. Quartetto in E Minor: I. Andante sostenuto, grandioso ed espressivo
36. Quartetto in E Minor: II. Andante sostenuto
37. Quartetto in E Minor: III. Allegro agitato
38. Quartetto No. 1 in A Major, Op. 1: I. Allegro vivace
39. Quartetto No. 1 in A Major, Op. 1: II. Rondò, allegretto
40. Quartetto No. 2 in C Major, Op. 1: I. Maestoso
41. Quartetto No. 2 in C Major, Op. 1: II. Andante, aria in variazion
42. Quartetto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1: I. Adagio, allegro assai
43. Quartetto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 1: II. Allegro

Having recorded the only complete set of Viottis violin concertos, Franco Mezzena may be counted the foremost modern exponent of an unjustly overlooked composer. Born the year before Mozart in 1755, Giovanni Battista Viotti has been eclipsed by his Salzburg contemporary for who would not be? Yet Viotti wrote so much more than display vehicles for the instrument of which he was the pre-eminent Italian virtuoso of his generation. He composed quartets throughout his eventful career, which included a brief period as a wine merchant. The agreeable, undemanding idiom of his quartet-writing reveals not only his own fondness for music that he and his friends and pupils could play together privately, but also the growing tendency to make the concert repertoire available to amateur musicians in their own homes. The set of six quartets Op.1 was published in Paris around 1783. The general mood is serene and enjoyable but never banal, thanks to Viottis skill at surprising listeners with unusual combinations of timbre and register across the four instruments. The incisive start of the first quartet, for example, is reminiscent of a concerto, whereas in the fourth, and even more so in the fifth quartets of the set, the individual timbres of the viola and cello are interwoven to great effect, here and there evoking a sense of mystery, or indeed drama. Op.1 met with considerable acclaim, and was followed soon after (1787) by the six quartets of Op.3, that are clearly a development and completion of the first collection. Dedicated to his brother André, the following three quartets, which have no opus number, cross the threshold of the 19th century. Viotti himself took pleasure from them: really fascinating and perhaps something more. The set is completed by a standalone work in E minor, which is a free arrangement of the Violin Concerto No.18, including the addition of a new second movement and a slow introduction. Mezzenas playing of Viotti comes highly recommended in a 2004 survey of French violin school recordings by the Music Library Association. The veteran violinist has founded the present ensemble specifically to play these works of unfailing charm.