Bazzini quartets

[eschiss1]

I notice the IMSLP scores of Bazzini's quartets (from Merton music) which look like interesting scores, and I notice that there is what seems to be an integral recording of them too by the Quartetto d'Archi di Venezia (available at my local university library in electronic form). Has anyone heard it (them), any opinions? (I no longer have staff/student access to such things )
Eric

[Kriton]

I have them, years ago since I last listened to them. I do remember that, after having read they constitute the most important Italian string quartets in the first half of the 19th century, I was rather disappointed after hearing them.

So, if my memory serves me well, the Venetian SQ gave good performances of what I considered to be mediocre works, at the time. Sorry I can't be of more help... Perhaps I'll give them another spin next year?

[eschiss1]

I have them, years ago since I last listened to them. I do remember that, after having read they constitute the most important Italian string quartets in the first half of the 19th century, I was rather disappointed after hearing them.

So, if my memory serves me well, the Venetian SQ gave good performances of what I considered to be mediocre works, at the time. Sorry I can't be of more help... Perhaps I'll give them another spin next year?

Hrm. I think your program notes are mistaken- according to Wikipedia (... if correct ) the quartets are from 1864-92.
Eric

[Kriton]

2nd half, sorry...

[eschiss1]

2nd half, sorry...

Which then leads me to wonder why the writer thought the Bazzini more important than the Verdi, say. But important is ambiguous
Cheers!

[Josh]

Large stretches of the Bazzini string quartets do sound like they could have been written in the first half of the 19th century!  Maybe a factual error in dating there, but not a spiritual one.  Listen to the start of #6 even, and try to tell me that anybody would have found that bizarre even as early as 1810.

Personally, I wasn't blown away, but I don't dislike any of them. I'll admit that the string quartet is not one of my favourite forms, but in my book, these aren't all that spectacular.  I have the recording mentioned above, the Quartetto d'Archi Venezia, but I don't know what else is available.

Just to my taste, none of these 6 comes anywhere close to Verdi's terrific sole-surviving entry into the genre, and I don't hear anything that leads me to believe another performance would change that.  This is pure guesswork, but based on how simple the openings of most of the movements are, I get the impression that Bazzini was putting all his eggs in the tune-basket... and none of the tunes are all that good to me. This thread did coax me to pull out my Foote SQs though for some reason, and I can never have too much of that! I guess that's what I think when I am considering great late Romantic String Quartets and what they had the potential to be.

[Kriton]

2nd half, sorry...

Which then leads me to wonder why the writer thought the Bazzini more important than the Verdi, say. But important is ambiguous
Cheers!

Now that I find rather easy to understand: the Verdi quartet, amazing as it may be, was a one off, not even taken fully serious by its composer. A very special work, but one of which its music-historical importance, like that of Rott's symphony, can easily be exaggerated.

Bazzini, on the other hand, did try, time and again, to give chamber music more prominence in his fatherland. That he succeeded only partially, is reason why most of 'the people' have never heard of him.

That the quartet by Verdi is much more popular, has to do, of course, with the reputation of the composer and the exceptional place the quartet takes in his oeuvre - not only with the musical quality of the work (which, again, I don't want to dispute!).

[JimL]

I'd still be interested in hearing Bazzini's violin concertos, even if the 3rd is mission in action!

[gentile]

I hold in high esteem Bazzini's Violin Sonata Op.55. Its stunning first movement doesn't sound old-fashioned at all, rather the opposite. Nevertheless, I agree that he doesn't reach the same level with the string quartets.

[eschiss1]

Hrm. Other late 19th century Italian quartets include Sgambati's (ca. 1882?). Scontrino's four quartets (I've heard that in G minor, which is very good, I believe) date from the first years of the 20th c, as do Respighi's early quartets. Busoni's two quartets from the 1880s probably count, though. Whether any of these works (Sgambati or Busoni) were influential I have no idea - maybe the Sgambati, as his music was promoted at the time, I believe. (I like it and do not begrudge it that )
Eric