Quintetto Chigiano

The Quintetto Chigiano (a.k.a. Chigi Quintet) was an Italian musical ensemble comprising a string quartet with pianoforte, and was especially active during the 1940s–1960s.

Personnel

The personnel of the Quintet were made up as follows:

• 1st violin: Riccardo Brengola (leader)
• 2nd violin: Mario Benvenuti - from 1955, Angelo Stefanato - from 1960, Arnaldo Apostoli
• viola: Giovanni Leone
• cello: Lino Filippini
• piano: Sergio Lorenzi

Origins

The Quintetto Chigiano was founded in Siena, Italy, in 1939 and took its name from the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, which was founded by Count Chigi-Saracini. It was one of the rare permanent quintets in the world. The Quintet had the use of the four best instruments from Count Chigi-Saracini's private collection, namely a Camillo Camilli and a Guadagnini violin, an Amati viola and a Stradivarius violoncello.

Performance

The Quintetto Chigiano made its Boston debut in 1961 for the Peabody Mason Concert series.^[1] In 1957 they completed an acclaimed tour of Southern Africa ^[2]

Recordings

The Quintet made several recordings for Decca Records:

• Dvořák, Piano Quintet No.2, in A major Op.81 (Released in 1950, Decca LXT2519)
• Franck, Piano Quintet in F minor (1879) (Released in June 1950, Decca LXT2520)
• Bloch, Piano Quintet No.1 in C minor (1923) (Released in 1951, Decca LXT2626)
• Brahms, Piano Quintet in F minor, Op.34 (Released in 1952, Decca LXT2687)
• Shostakovich, Piano Quintet in G minor Op.57 (Released in 1952, Decca LXT2749)
• Boccherini, Piano Quintet in A major Op.posth. and Quintet in D minor (Released in 1954, Decca LXT2841)

Having played all these works, during the 1960s the Quintet reformed itself into a Sextet.

References

Sources

• E. Sackville-West and D. Shawe-Taylor, The Record Year 2 (Collins, London 1953).
• E.M.G., The Art of Record-Buying 1960 (London 1960).
• E.M.G., The Monthly Newsletter (London)
• Printed flyer for Royal Festival Hall concert of Boccherini, Brahms and Dvořák. (early 1950s).