Description

GIORGIO CIOMPI (FLORENCE, ITALY, JANUARY 27, 1918 – USA, NOVEMBER, 1983)

 

 

 

 

Giorgio Ciompi was an American violinist and distinguished teacher whose career spanned continents and contributed significantly to the development of American chamber music in the mid-20th century. Born in Florence, Italy, on January 27, 1918, he received advanced violin training in France and won the Premier Prix de violon at the Paris Conservatory in 1935, establishing his early reputation as a violinist of exceptional technique and expressive range.

After early European touring and a professorship at the Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello in Venice, Ciompi’s life and musical career were shaped by the upheaval of World War II. He served with the Italian Red Cross and, like many artists of his generation, sought new opportunities abroad after the war.

Albeneri Trio and Early Chamber Music Career

In 1948 Ciompi joined the Albeneri Trio—a noted piano trio originally formed in 1944 by Alexander Schneider (violin), Benar Heifetz (cello), and Erich Itor Kahn (piano). The ensemble’s name came from the combination of the founders’ first names: ALexander, BENar, and ERIch. When Schneider departed in 1948, Ciompi replaced him as violinist, touring and performing with the group alongside Heifetz and Kahn in the United States and Europe.

American Orchestral and Teaching Work

Ciompi’s American career broadened when he was invited by the famed conductor Arturo Toscanini to join the NBC Symphony Orchestra in New York. This experience deepened his engagement with orchestral and chamber music in the U.S. before he transitioned into music education.

He later became head of the violin department at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he taught and shaped young musicians before moving into university teaching.

Duke University and the Ciompi Quartet

In 1964, Ciompi accepted an artist-in-residence position at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. There he formed what would become one of the most respected chamber ensembles in the United States, the Ciompi Quartet, in 1965. Under his leadership as first violin, the quartet quickly built a reputation for refined ensemble playing and engaging programming, combining classical repertoire with modern works.

During his tenure at Duke, Ciompi was also active as a teacher and collaborator. He performed extensively in the Ciompi-Withers Duo with pianist Loren Withers, recording complete Beethoven violin sonatas and giving numerous concerts. He was admired by his students for combining high musical standards with deep personal warmth and commitment to their development.

Legacy

Giorgio Ciompi remained at Duke until his death in 1983. His legacy at the university includes not only the quartet that bears his name but also decades of mentorship to violinists who went on to influential careers in performance and teaching. The Ciompi Quartet continues today as quartet-in-residence at Duke, performing internationally and sustaining the traditions of excellence and innovation Ciompi championed.

 

TRACKLIST

 

Henry Purcell – Trio Sonatas (From The Second Book Of Ten)

Label: Dover Publications – HCR-5224

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono

Country: US

Released: 1963

Genre: Classical

Style: Baroque

Trio Sonatas

A1 Sonata In Major (Golden Sonata) no. 9

A2 Sonata In C No. 7

A3 Sonata In B Minor No. 1

A4 Sonata In D No. 10

Trio Sonatas

B1 Sonata In D No. 10

B2 Sonata In D Minor No. 4

B3 Sonata In E Flat No. 2

B4 Sonata In G Minor No. 8

Cello – George Koutzen

Harpsichord – Herman Chessid

Violin – Giorgio Ciompi, Werner Torkanowsky

On label: “Hayward Records Inc., 11 East 2nd St. Minerola L.I.N.Y. Made In The United States Of America”

Matrix / Runout (Runout A): HCR 5224 AT 3

Matrix / Runout (Runout B): HCR 5224 4BT 3

Other (Library Of Congress Catalog Card Number): R64-1065