January / February 2014

Ermanno Wolf Ferrari's Piano Trios

Hermann Friedrich Wolf, known to the world as Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876-1948) was born in Venice. His father August Wolf was originally from Bavaria and a fairly successful painter, who married a girl from the Venetian nobility, Emilia Ferrari. This confluence of two cultures was to play a pivotal role in his life. He felt himself to be neither fish nor fowl. One might say he had a cultural split personality. At times he felt himself German and, in fact, lived most of his adult life either in Germany or Austria. Yet, his attachment to Italy was also strong. In 1895, he not only Italianized his first name, but also added his mother's maiden-name Ferrari to Wolf. This dichotomy can be heard in his music. Some of his compositions reflect the sunny and cheerful personality of the Italian, his operas, an example of which is the charming Secrets of Susanna (Il segretto di Susanna), are filled with bright, catchy bel canto Italian melody. However, other compositions, primarily, his chamber music, show a Germanic seriousness of intent. Though opera had been his first love, like his ideal Mozart, Wolf-Ferrari was also attracted to and fond of chamber music. Interestingly, most of it was written during the first part and the last part of his life. From the time he left the Conservatory up to WWI, he composed two violin sonatas, a string trio, his two piano trios Opp.5 and 7 dating from 1898 and 1900, and a piano quintet.

Piano Trio No.1 comes from his first surge of creativity. It is brimming with original ideas and is full of youthful exuberance. The opening movement, Allegro molto moderato, begins in a rather relaxed fashion with the violin giving out a stately theme. But gradually the music rises to a feverish pitch of dramatic tension before the introduction of the energetic second theme. The second movement, Presto, is an unusual kind of scherzo. The main section is characterized by long-lined lyricism. A dance-like theme ,based on rising and falling scale motifs is juxtaposed between the faster outer parts. A superb Larghetto follows. The main theme is a lovely, sad plaint, powerfully framed by a strong repeated rhythm. A quicker middle section, Andante mosso, provides a charming contrast. In the finale, Allegro vivace assai, one fine theme follows another. There is enough thematic material here for an entire work. The first section opens quietly but the promise of the upbeat theme in the first bars is quickly realized. But almost immediately, a second theme, a Slavic dance folk-tune, is introduced. Then comes an exciting chromatic interlude which in turn is a followed by a fairy-land dance of the elves out of which a powerful and dramatic melody makes its entry-and this is only part of what is in this magnificent finale!

The Second Piano Trio is only in three movements. It opens with theme given out by the piano that has an other-world atmosphere. But then, without warning this charming, ethereal and pastoral mood is blown apart in an highly dramatic fashion, again with the piano taking the lead. From here on out the movement oscillates between these two states of very sharp mood contrasts. In the lovely second movement, Largo, Wolf-Ferrari’s gift for melody and his cantilena writing come to the fore as the cello is given one of the great solo arias. One can well imagine a tenor singing it on the opera stage. When the violin joins in, it is not to make a lovers duet but also to raise the dramatic tension to a higher pitch. The finale, Lievemente mosso e tranquillo sempre, is noteworthy for the clever and interestingly written theme presented in canonic fashion. Of the two piano trios, the Second is overall gentler and more genial, and yet, it does have some surprisingly powerful dramatic outbursts which due to the nature of the preceding thematic material make a very strong impression. It is perhaps farther away from Rheinberger than the first with its tinges of Hungarian rhythms and melody.

But both of these works are unquestionably first rate and deserving of concert performance. Professional trio ensembles looking for a new late romantic work to perform should investigate both works, which will welcomed by concert audiences for their freshness and lovely melodic writing. The part-writing and handling of the instruments could not be better. Neither work is beyond the scope of competent amateur players who will derive considerable pleasure from these trios.  You can hear soundbites from both trios on our website. The parts to each are available from Edition Silvertrust.