Roffredo Caetani (1871–1961) prince of
Bassiano, last duke of Sermoneta, composer
and patron of the arts, developed a
marked musical talent from an early age. A
decisive factor in this respect was certainly
the influence of his father, a close friend
of Franz Liszt, who in turn would be an
exceptional godfather and, later, teacher
to Roffredo. Caetani completed his
Sonata for Violin and Piano in 1898, and
the work was first performed by the great
Turinese violinist Teresina Tua and pianist
Francesco Bajardi.
The Sonata’s three movements are decidedly
broad and there is a particular evocation
of the Baroque in the Adagio and Finale,
as in Ferruccio Busoni’s Second Sonata for
violin and piano in E minor, Op.36. The first
movement begins with a brief, slow and
expressive introduction, almost enigmatic,
somewhat reminiscent of the great Sonatas
of the classical period (such as Beethoven’s
Kreutzer Sonata), and then it gives way,
in an almost impetuous manner, to the
Allegro, full of themes following one on
another, urged on by a pressing rhythm.
In the Adagio, counterpoint is much more
than a technique, it becomes an expressive
tool. Written in ABA ternary form, the
central part of which has a faster tempo
(Più andante), the second movement consists
of a combination of elegiac chants
entrusted to the violin with chromatic
counterpoint to the piano. The Finale of the
Sonata is a three-voice fugue whose theme
is developed from the very first notes of the
movement and whose character is incisive
and brilliant.
Guido Alberto Fano (1875–1961) was an
Italian composer, conductor and pianist of
Jewish origin, a survivor of the Holocaust.
He began his musical studies with Vittorio
Orefice, later undertaking piano studies
under Cesare Pollini. In 1894, he was invited
by Giuseppe Martucci to be his piano
and composition student at Bologna, where
Fano graduated in 1897.
Fano’s Fantasia Sonata for violin and piano
in D minor, composed in 1893, is one of the
Paduan composer’s first chamber works. It
was later revised by the composer in 1941,
during the dark period of his escape from
Nazi persecution. The first movement:
Contemplativo e sognante is characterised
by a plaintive thematic motif, emphasised
by repeated crescendos and diminuendos
in the middle of each bar, as if evoking a
Jewish folk song. In the second movement,
Andante sostenuto, baroque writing of an
intimate and spiritual character is evoked.
The piano is entrusted with an elaborate
counterpoint with written flourishes that
support and incorporate the violin line. The
third movement, Misterioso e moderatamente
mosso (added in the version of 1941)
is nothing but a perpetual motion entrusted
to the violin taking its cue from the piano
part of the Allegro molto (third movement
version of 1893). The Finale, Allegro molto
(added in the version of 1941), is a natural
continuation, but it transfers the virtuosic
character to the piano. The violin is then
free to develop the cantabile and passionate
theme set out in the first movement,
reversing its first three notes.
Recorded May 2024, Polla (Salerno), Italy
Bilingual booklet in English and Italian
contains liner notes by Ludovica Del Bagno
and a profile of the duo
Mauro Tortorelli plays a Giovanni Guidanti
violin (Bologna, 1730)