The Violin Concerto, Op. 26, was a close collaboration between Wolf-Ferrari and violinist Guila Bustabo, to whom the work was dedicated and who performed its premiere in Munich in 1944.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Wolf-Ferrari's operatic style developed from the 18th-century classicism of Mozart, combined with the parlando style of Verdi's Falstaff, and the fast-paced character comedies of Venetian playwright Goldoni.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Wolf-Ferrari's music, despite its 'academic' appearance, expresses an aristocratic spirit and intimate aspects, with passages revealing anguish from the catastrophic effects of war.
Compositional Technique
Wolf-Ferrari's Violin Concerto, Op. 26, is peculiar for its duration (less than 40 minutes), its four movements instead of the usual three, and its tonal style that renews the traditional romantic concerto.
Historical Context
Italy's entry into World War I against Germany in 1915 caused a personal and creative crisis for Wolf-Ferrari, who had both German and Italian heritage, leading him to take refuge in Zurich.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Wolf-Ferrari consciously identified with 18th-century music, rejecting modernist theories and practices, believing tonality, like perspective in art, was not 'a matter of opinion'.
Composer Biography
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (born Hermann Friedrich Wolf) adopted his mother's surname, Ferrari, to distinguish himself from other musicians named Wolf, such as Hugo Wolf.
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