Presents
Giulio Ricordi
Piano Trio in A Major
Giulio Ricordi (1840-1912), was the grandson of Giovanni Ricordi the founder of the famous Italian publishing house. He was born in Milan. As a youth he studied composition and published several works under the name of Jules Burgmein. He was passionate in helping Italy achieve independence and served in the army winning many honors for bravery in the war against the Austrians. However, his father Tito Ricordi, then head of the firm, asked Giulio to leave the army and join him in running the business. On the death of his father in 1888, he took over the reins of the family publishing house which he ran until his death in 1912. With him, Casa Ricordi became one of the most important music publishers in the world. He served as both the editor and publisher of the operas of Verdi, Ponchielli, Puccini, to name but a few of the many he edited.
His business and editing activies did not leave him a lot of time to compose, however, he did manage to write a few operas, several works for piano, and some for voice. His Piano Trio in A Major was completed and published in 1903, one of the few works composed toward the end of his life. It was dedicated to the Trio Pesarese, then one of the foremost piano trio ensembles in Italy. In four movements, the first Allegro energico, begins with the piano bringing out a triumphant march-like subject. Eventually the strings present a more lyrical second theme. A lively and playful Scherzo comes next. In third place is a sad, almost funereal Andante con Marcia. The finale, Allegro ed energico, begins like music to tragedy but is interspersed with several fetching lyrical episodes which relieve the tension created by the main theme.
Parts: $29.95
