Nardini e minor Violin Concerto Charles Pikler violin Chicago Chamber Orch. Dieter Kober conductor

Pietro Nardini Violin Concerto in e minor

Charles Pikler, violin
Chicago Chamber Orchestra
Dieter Kober, conductor
recorded live in East Germany on the CCO's East German tour February 1989

Movements:

Allegro moderato
Andante cantabile
Allegro giocoso

Pietro Nardini was born in Livorno, Italy on April 12, 1722 and died in Florence, Italy on May 7, 1793. He was a violin and composition student of the master, Guiseppe Tartini and was considered to be Tartini's favorite student. Nardini was a violinist, conductor, as well as a composer. His beautiful violin tone was recognized by no less than Leopold Mozart. Among Nardini's compositions are sonatas, chamber music (including six string quartets and six violin duets) plus four violin concerti. However, this particular concerto is not totally authentic Nardini. This Concerto is based on and is an adaptation of the Viola Sonata in f minor by Pietro Nardini. (The solo violin part is almost identical to the original viola part). However, it was actually compiled as we know it today during the romantic period and has several accompaniments composed in the 19th century.

This piece (by today's standards) is considered to be a student concerto from a technical point of view. However, musically, it far surpasses that level when compared to the student concertos of Friedrich Seitz and Jean Baptiste Accolay. This work is indeed loaded with many heartfelt moments. It is for that reason that great violinists such as Peter Rybar, Jan Tomasow, Mischa Elman and Henryk Szeryng have recorded this work.

I am most grateful to Maestro Dieter Kober and the members of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra (my dear friends), who participated in the East Germany tour of 1989. They provided such a beautiful accompaniment for this recording! We had great fun on that tour!

Hopefully, the listeners will give this masterpiece the credit that it deserves.

Charles Pikler