Tchaikovsky / Verdi: Souvenir de Florence / String Quartet
1/1/2004, 8 Tracks, 58:37
Featuring
Candida Thompson
Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Giuseppe Verdi
Did you know?
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Composer's Artistic Vision
Verdi initially claimed he wrote the String Quartet purely as a diversion, and it was first performed only at private gatherings.
Performer Biography
Every musician in the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, an ensemble of 22 string players, assumes the responsibilities of a solo player, similar to a string quartet.
Composer Biography
Tchaikovsky, who felt a special attraction to the Latin 'classical' atmosphere, visited Italy multiple times, partly to escape rumors of his homosexuality in Russia.
Composition History
Verdi's String Quartet in E minor is his only independent instrumental composition, written in 1873 during a break from opera work.
Performer Biography
Amsterdam Sinfonietta, formerly Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, focuses on the emotional power of string instruments and operates with a 'chamber music mentality'.
Historical Context
The creation of Verdi's String Quartet is linked to the heightened national consciousness and struggle for a united Italy, which looked to German cultural examples.
Performer Biography
Candida Thompson, the concertmaster, has been the artistic director of Amsterdam Sinfonietta since the 2003-2004 season.
