PIATTI, Alfredo - Quartettino "In Vacanza" for four cellos

Dedicated to the young cellists from Bergamo Piatti composes the small quartet (Quartettino) In vacanza (On holiday), a Sonata in three movements for four cellos that will receive its première at the final exams in 1891. It is a simply structured piece made of catchy melodies, thick of that irony, that carelessness that probably Piatti reckoned as a fundamental soft skill for young musicians. The first movement, allegro con brio, bears the title Partenza (Departure), the second, andantino quasi allegretto, Arrivo (Arrival), the third, allegretto vivo, Danza rustica (Rustic Dance). It is puzzling to notice the lack of a slow movement or of a Coming Back and we can explain this only in recognising that Piatti, having come to the end of a long career, would have wanted to leave a wishing message to the younglings who were still at the beginning of their road: “may your life be as a long, endless holiday, with no slack moment; may the enthusiasm to push forward never falter you and may even old age have the cheerful rhythm of a dance”.

Pages: 32 (score) 12-8-12-8 (parts)