Quartetto Italiano

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Quartetto Italiano
Quartetto Italiano (1955)
Background information
Origin	Reggio Emilia, Italy
Genres	Classical
Occupation	String Quartet
Years active	1945–1980
Labels	Decca, Philips, Deutsche Grammophon
Past members	Paolo Borciani, 1st violin (founder & leader) Elisa Pegreffi, 2nd violin Piero Farulli, viola (1947-1977) Franco Rossi, cello Lionello Forzanti, viola (1945-1947) Dino Asciolla, viola (1977-1980)

The Quartetto Italiano (English: Italian Quartet) was a string quartet founded in Reggio Emilia in 1945. They made their debut in 1945 in Carpi when all four players were still in their early 20s. They were originally named Nuovo Quartetto Italiano (to distinguish the ensemble from another "Quartetto Italiano", which had been founded at the beginning of the twentieth century by the violinist Remigio (Remy) Prìncipe) before dropping the "Nuovo" tag in 1951. They are particularly noted for their recording of the complete cycle of Beethoven string quartets, made between 1967 and 1975.^[1] The quartet disbanded in 1980.

The secretary and historian of the Quartet was Guido Alberto Borciani (Reggio Emilia, 20 October 1920 – 4 April 2008), brother of Paolo Borciani, the quartet's founder and player of the 1st violin part. A mechanical engineer and talented pianist, Guido Alberto founded in 1987 the Premio Paolo Borciani.^[2]