Brilliant Classics
Pizzetti: Piano Trio, Works for violin, cello and piano
$14.99
Details
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Artist
- Trio Hermes, Ginevra Bassetti, Francesca Giglio, Marianna Pulsoni
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Brilliant Classics
- Released
- Mar 20, 2026
- Catalog #
- BRI97530
- UPC
- 5063758975308
About
Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968) was an Italian composer, music theorist, and teacher whose work bridges the late Romantic tradition and early twentieth-century modernism. A member of the so-called "Generation of the Eighties" alongside Ottorino Respighi, Gian Francesco Malipiero, and Alfredo Casella, Pizzetti sought to redefine Italian music by reconnecting it with the country's Renaissance and Baroque heritage. Deeply inspired by early polyphony, Gregorian chant, and classical drama, he cultivated a style marked by modal harmony, contrapuntal clarity, and a profound sense of lyricism. Beyond composition, he was an influential pedagogue, teaching at the conservatories of Florence and Milan and later directing the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Pizzetti's Piano Trio in A major (1904) is an early work that reflects both his academic training and his emerging individuality. Written while still under the influence of Romantic models such as Brahms and Franck, the trio nonetheless reveals Pizzetti's characteristic Italianate warmth and structural discipline. It's melodic contours often echo the inflections of Italian vocal writing, while it's harmonic palette experiments with modal color. The work's three movements display a balance between lyrical expressiveness and contrapuntal craftsmanship, suggesting the composer's lifelong fascination with vocal polyphony adapted to instrumental textures. In contrast, the Tre Canti for cello and piano (1924) exemplify Pizzetti's mature idiom. Composed two decades later, these three short pieces distill his refined sense of melody and austerity. Each "Canto" unfolds as an expressive monologue, the cello singing with quasi-vocal intensity over restrained piano writing. Modal inflections and chant-like phrasing create an atmosphere of meditative introspection, while subtle rhythmic freedom evokes the flexibility of spoken or sung language. Together, the Tre Canti encapsulate Pizzetti's search for a timeless musical expression-rooted in Italy's ancient past yet articulated in a modern, deeply personal voice. Also included in this program are three short works for violin and piano.
Tracklist 9 tracks
-
1 No. 1. Affettuoso 05:35
- Track
- 1
- Title
- No. 1. Affettuoso
- Duration
- 05:35
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Performer
- Francesca Giglio, Marianna Pulsoni
-
2 No. 2. Quasi grave e commosso 03:36
- Track
- 2
- Title
- No. 2. Quasi grave e commosso
- Duration
- 03:36
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Performer
- Francesca Giglio, Marianna Pulsoni
-
3 No. 3. Appassionato 05:11
- Track
- 3
- Title
- No. 3. Appassionato
- Duration
- 05:11
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Performer
- Francesca Giglio, Marianna Pulsoni
-
4 I. Mosso e arioso 14:51
- Track
- 4
- Title
- I. Mosso e arioso
- Duration
- 14:51
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Ensemble
- Trio Hèrmes
-
5 II. Largo 08:42
- Track
- 5
- Title
- II. Largo
- Duration
- 08:42
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Ensemble
- Trio Hèrmes
-
6 III. Rapsodia di settembre: Vivace (non presto) 10:46
- Track
- 6
- Title
- III. Rapsodia di settembre: Vivace (non presto)
- Duration
- 10:46
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Ensemble
- Trio Hèrmes
-
7 Aria in D Major 03:53
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Aria in D Major
- Duration
- 03:53
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Performer
- Ginevra Bassetti, Marianna Pulsoni
-
8 Colloquio 05:20
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Colloquio
- Duration
- 05:20
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Performer
- Ginevra Bassetti, Marianna Pulsoni
-
9 Aria, augurio nuziale (version for violin and piano) 05:27
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Aria, augurio nuziale (version for violin and piano)
- Duration
- 05:27
- Composer
- Ildebrando Pizzetti
- Performer
- Ginevra Bassetti, Marianna Pulsoni