When we think of Puccini's work, we immediately gravitate toward his stunning operas such as Tosca and La Boheme. However, Puccini wrote several other works outside of opera, including orchestral works, songs for voice and piano, and chamber music such as his only string quartet: I Crisantemi. The first time I heard his work, I knew this had to be included in our Real String Quartet literature immediately. Puccini's expertise with opera exudes into this beautifully crafted quartet. As is common with his other work, he composed a lush soundscape and provided the performers with every opportunity to take extreme liberties with tempi that give it a wonderful, vocal quality. We feel the longing and pain, and each phrase takes you to the edge of expectation. You can almost see a story unfold in front of you with rich dialogue between characters, conflicting personalities, and love and loss.-Eric Snoza (double bass)
Classical Music | Ensemble Music
Giacomo Puccini
Crisantemi Play
Recorded on 09/09/2013, uploaded on 04/11/2014
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
I Crisantemi, Elegy for String Quartet
When we think of Puccini's work, we immediately gravitate toward his stunning operas such as Tosca and La Boheme. However, Puccini wrote several other works outside of opera, including orchestral works, songs for voice and piano, and chamber music such as his only string quartet: I Crisantemi. The first time I heard his work, I knew this had to be included in our Real String Quartet literature immediately. Puccini's expertise with opera exudes into this beautifully crafted quartet. As is common with his other work, he composed a lush soundscape and provided the performers with every opportunity to take extreme liberties with tempi that give it a wonderful, vocal quality. We feel the longing and pain, and each phrase takes you to the edge of expectation. You can almost see a story unfold in front of you with rich dialogue between characters, conflicting personalities, and love and loss. -Eric Snoza (double bass)
More music by Giacomo Puccini
Guardate, pazzo son guardate, from Manon Lescaut
Nessun dorma, from Turandot
Recondita armonia, from Tosca
E lucevan le stelle, from Tosca
Donna non vidi mai, from Manon Lescaut
Ah, Manon, mi tradische, from Manon Lescaut
Selections from Turandot
Turandot: In questa reggia
Quando m'en vo - La bohème
Quando m'en vo (La bohème)
Performances by same musician(s)
String Quartet No. 11 in f minor, Op. 95, Serioso
Flute Quartet No. 1 in D Major
Excerpts from The Catherine Wheel
Piano Quartet in E flat major, op. 47
Langsamer Satz
Trio in E-flat Major for Horn, Violin, and Piano Op. 40
Trio for Piano, Oboe, and Bassoon
Clarinet Trio, Op. 114
Passacaglia, after Handel’s Suite No.7 for Harpsichord
String Quartet No. 9
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