Chamber Music

Wilhelm Kempff (1895-1991) was without doubt one of the foremost and important pianists of the 20th century. However composing was, especially for the young Kempff, his main artistic vocation, and he continued composing seriously during his whole lifetime. He wrote a substantial body of works, for piano, organ, chamber music, songs,

concertos, symphonies and even operas. His works met with considerable success and he was championed by the likes of Furtwängler. The piano trio in G minor is from 1911, when he was only 16 years old, however it shows a rare maturity, clearly influenced by Brahms (Kempff's composition teacher was Robert Kahn, a pupil of Brahms). The quartet for the unusual combination of flute, violin, cello and piano was inspired by Swedish and Italian folk music, while still firmly rooted in the Late-Romantic tradition. Excellent performances of this beautiful music by the Italian Quartetto Raro, with flutist Ginevra Petrucci and friends. Petrucci already recorded several CD's for Brilliant Classics, with works by Kuhlau, Briccialdi, Muczinsky and others.