Paganini dedicated Quartet No. 8 in A major M.S. 35 to Marquis Filippo Carrega, an amateur violinist nicknamed Filippino by his friends.
Composition History
Only 6 of Paganini's 15 quartets with guitar were published during his lifetime, with the remaining nine, generally of higher musical quality, staying unpublished.
Recording & Production
The Paganini Ensemble Vienna is recording the complete chamber music works of Niccolò Paganini for the Italian record label Dynamic, aiming to revive interest in his lesser-known works.
Historical Context
Paganini's chamber music, including his quartets with guitar, only began to circulate widely after 1972, when a posthumous collection of his manuscripts returned to Italy.
Composition History
The three quartets for violin, viola, guitar, and cello Op. 4 were first published in 1820, but their exact composition date is unknown as they are not mentioned in Paganini's letters.
Compositional Technique
Quartet No. 12 in A minor M.S. 39 is considered the most 'symphonic' of Paganini's quartets and is unique in its form, consisting of only three movements.
Performer Biography
The Paganini Ensemble Vienna, founded in 2019, is dedicated to historically informed performances of Niccolò Paganini's chamber music and has been named a European Paganini Route Ambassador.
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Paganini: 3 Quartets for Guitar & String Trio, Op. 4
Paganini: 15 Quartets for Strings and Guitar (The), Vol. 2
