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"Guitar compositions of the 19th century, with the exception of those of a didactic nature, haven't received the attention they deserve from either scholars or performers. The superficial accusation made of such literature that it is of little artistic value, is the result of a series of misconceptions which have been passed on due to the absence of an adequate historical and aesthetic analysis, and due also to the unfamiliarity of the performers with music which demands a brilliant technique too often superior to their ability. Oppressed by the works of the great Romantics and intimidated by such technical difficulty, guitarists have preferred to ignore a period which often presents music of excellent substance.. However, today increasing attempts are being made to revalue the music of those who kept the instrumental tradition alive even in the countries that saw an almost total predominance of opera. A careful selection of these compositions reveals works which compare well with the best pages of other more successful composers and which deserve to be in cluded in today's concert programmes."
- In memory of Ruggero Chiesa (1933 - 1993) |
| "The "Golden Era" of the guitar began with the eminent Italian guitarist and composer, Ferdinand Carulli (1770-1841), whose "Guitar Method" became popular throughout Europe. He was followed by Matteo Carcassi, author of a "Method," etudes and technical works, known to every guitar student. Next came Mauro Giuliani, Luigi Legnani, and Zani di Ferranti, all Italians. In Spain we find Dionisio Aguado and Ferdinand Sor, the latter acknowledged as the greatest composer, and called the Beethoven of the guitar. Somewhat later appeared Napoleon Coste in France and J. K. Mertz in Austria. These men not only were great artists, giving recitals in all the music centers of Europe, but composers as well, leaving behind them hundreds of beautiful compositions for their instrument. To students of to-day the classic works of these masters are indispensable." - George C. Krick |
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Biographical Information: Aguado wrote several excellent concert pieces, such as the "Fandango" and the "Rondos Brillantes op. 2" as well as a comprehensive Method. The most well-known pieces by Aguado are the exercises from the Method because they are accessible for amateurs. Even Segovia played only these simple etudes, and ignored the concert works that Aguado published. Aguado's works include numerous short waltzes and menuets in the classical style; some charming, but not representative of Aguado's best works. Aguado deserves credit for laying the foundation of today's modern classical guitar school of technique, and a direct lineage can be traced from Aguado to students of his students, notably to Julian Arcas and then Francisco Tarrega. Aguado and Sor lived in the same apartment building in Paris, and played in duets together. Aguado is known for his use of the fingernails, while Sor advocated no nails. It is said that Sor claims that Aguado preferred Sor's tone, but Sor acknowledged that Aguado was able to achieve greater speed with the use of nails. The Dionisio Aguado Home Page has more information about the composer. |
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There is a published source of Aguado's complete facsimile works, Chanterelle Editions, resold by Mel Bay Music Publishers Publications. This is a 4-volume set. If I had to pick one, I would pick Volume 3, which is the works with opus number. Volume 4 is works without opus, also a good choice. Volumes 1 and 2 are reprints of the studies and method, and there is some redundancy between volumes 1 & 2, as different editions are presented of the same work. The method is the facsimile written in Spanish, which is nearly useless if you do not read Spanish. For a good English translation of the method, Tecla provides the Dionisio Aguado: New Guitar Method, translated into English by Louise Bigwood. |
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Lorenzo Micheli has recorded an exceptional CD entirely of Aguado's music, including his best works - the entire opus 2 Rondos, opus 15 Menuet affandango, opus 16 Fandango variations, and selections from the studies. Long overdue, this CD is a standout effort, with impeccable musicianship and style of the period, and recorded on an 1850's French romantic guitar. This is on the "Stradivarius" label, and I was able to find copies on most major online CD retailer sites. |
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 Heinrich Albert, circa 1900, with his Raab Wappenform guitar (courtesy of Andreas Stevens). |
Although beyond the time period scope of this web site, Albert deserves mentioning. Stylistically, Albert's music is of the German-Viennese tradition and could easily pass for compositions written decades earlier, and sounds great on period guitars. Also interesting is the fact that terz guitar, Staufer-style instruments, and multi-bass / harp guitars, as well as music by Mertz and other mid to late 19th century composers, were all very active in Germany until easily the 1920's. Albert is also known for his method, arrangements, teaching, and guitar quartet. Andreas Stevens now owns 2 of Albert's former guitars and has recorded Albert's works. Andreas informs that "In his public appearances he first played a Raab Wappengitarre because he found that the sound of his Hauser unfortunately did not carry enough, from 1910 - 1914 he played a Modelo Guadagnini from Mozzani and from 1914 to his death he played different guitars from Gelas, Paris." Works by Albert can be found in REX and Boije. Two informative articles on the net are: Harp Guitars - Featured Player of the Month, 7-04 and Orphee: Heinrich Albert and the First Guitar Quartet, by Allan Morris. |
Biographical Information:
The Spanish guitar concert virtuoso, professor, and composer Julian Arcas is famous today for being Tarrega's teacher, as well as being the guitarist who worked with Torres to slightly modify the guitar's design to its current standard. Arcas was active at a very early period, indeed the same time period as when Mertz, Coste, Regondi, and Legnani were publishing many of their finest compositions - the 1860's. Stylistically Arcas reminds me of a cross between Aguado and Tarrega, not surprising since Arcas was taught by his father, who studied directly with Aguado or one of Aguado's followers. Arcas and Tarrega sound very much alike on some pieces, as indeed both players were part of a Spanish tradition and style which included many others. No doubt Arcas was ahead of his time, another hallmark of a good composer. Arcas wrote many extended operatic pot-pourris, just like Mertz and Coste - for example, opera arrangements of Verdi, Bellini, Rossini, etc., are among Arcas' works. In addition, Arcas wrote many classical arrangements of popular Spanish songs and dances, such as the Bolero. This popular style is very traditional and "Spanish" sounding, and it later became the flamenco style. Other compositions are in a more classical form, such as Minuets and other original compositions. Much of this repertoire has been long-neglected and out of print. However, with the recent publication of Arcas' complete works, once again this material is starting to become recognized as among the best gems of the entire repertoire. There are 52 published original compositions and arrangements of considerable variety and depth. The writing is at a high level, musically and technically. I have had to re-think Arcas' place in history based on this edition. Biographical information is listed at these web site: Arcas Bio
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There is only one published source of Arcas' complete facsimile works, available from FFSI, GSP and others:
"Julian Arcas Complete Works for Guitar (Obras Completas para Guitarra)" - Edited by Melchor Rodriguez This is a very thick book, around 270 pages. It is expensive but worth it. |
 | Berlioz is famous as a classical orchestral composer with a unique style, but not as a guitarist. In actuality, guitar and flute were the only instruments he could play. Berlioz initially made his living as a guitarist, and he published a few pieces for guitar during the first quarter of the 19th century. As no solo guitar works have been located, most likely Berlioz only published for guitar as accompaniment. As a friend of Paganini, Berlioz owned a guitar by Grobert of Mirecourt, which he and Paganini signed, and is now in a Paris museum. |
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The Digital Guitar Archive has published an authoritative edition of Bobrowicz titled "Selected Works". Volume 1 contains Variations, and Volume 2 is nearing completion. This edition contains detailed biographical information and serious compositions, of varying difficulty levels. The printing is clear, bold, and urtext - highly recommended. |
 | Mostly known as a chamber composer of superb quintets. In 1769 he settled in Madrid. In the 1790's Boccherini had a patron, the Marquis de Benevente, who was a guitarist. The Marquis commissioned pieces with guitar, and thus Boccherini arranged a few of his prior works to derive the now famous Boccherini Guitar Quintets, which have been recorded by Richard Savino, Pepe Romero, and others - and are regarded as among the very finest chamber works in the guitar repertoire. The Pepe Romero double CD of Boccherini is a must-have recording, as is Richard Savino's. The 6 double-course guitar was popular in Spain at the time of composition, but the Marquis was a subscriber to Aguado's 6-single string method, thus there is still debate as to whether the 6-string or 12-string guitar is best for Boccherini's music. |
 | Jaime Bosch "Bosch was a well-known guitarist in late nineteenth century Paris, a contemporary of Coste and a friend of the painter Edouard Manet. A Catalan born in Barcelona, his works show strong Spanish influence" (Brian Jeffery). The Tecla - Jaime Bosch Edition (see link) is a collection of eighteen works for solo guitar, in reprints of their original editions, with 76 pages. "There are several little gems in this facsimile collection that are well worth playing. In particular I liked Brimborion, Duettino, Meditation, Etoiles et fleurs ... several of the shorter and easier items towards the end of the volume are also very effective ... there is much to simply enjoy in this volume, and it’s a must for anyone purporting to be interested in the music of its century. A centenary well worth marking." (Classical Guitar, December 1996). 6 works by Bosch are available for free PDF download from REX and Boije, including 1 work (opus 86 "Pasa Calle") which is not available in the Tecla edition. The other 5 works are also in Tecla, so you can download to see if you like the composer before buying the edition with 18 works (13 of which are not in REX). |
 | Jose Broca was a Spanish composer, 1805 - 1882. According to Fred Noad, Broca was a student of Aguado but mostly self-taught. He was established in Barcelona and renown for his playing of works by Sor and Aguado. He was a friend of Julian Arcas and the teacher of Jose Ferrer. Broca's works are elegant pieces in a similar style to Tarrega, but written much earlier. |
 | "Guitarist, teacher and composer. This pupil of Dionisio Aguado originally practised medicine before devoting himself to the guitar and teaching at the Madrid Conservatoire. He was also official archivist to Queen Isabella the Second. We are indebted to Cano for his guitar method published in 1852 and reprinted in 1868 with an additional treatise on harmony adapted to the guitar. Antonio Cano composed about a hundred pieces and exercises for the guitar. It is probable that he gave lessons to Francisco Tarrega and contributed to the development of the technique of the tremolo. His main contribution to the world of music is his guitar tutorial: "Método de Guitarra" (1852)." - Text provided by Norbert Fischer. |
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Biographical Information: Carcassi was a virtuoso player who wrote many fine extended works. Carcassi's pieces show originality in their development, and a thorough knowledge of the fingerboard and all its positions - and in many cases innovative technique. Sadly, most publishers continue to publish only Carcassi's pieces for beginners, and the concert-level works are now mostly out of print, despite their high quality. This leaves many people with the mistaken impression that Carcassi is only for beginners. Carcassi wrote playable and rewarding music for the typical guitarist: there are pieces for a variety of playing abilities, from very easy pieces for absolute beginners, through extended virtuosic operatic fantasies which require an advanced technique. Some of Carcassi's works are comparable to Legnani in terms of musical level and technique. The etudes and simple pieces Carcassi wrote for the purposes of teaching beginners are charming and effective, and they are still popular today with countless amateurs. The Carcassi concert pieces are mostly written at an intermediate to advanced level of playing, and are much more representative of Carcassi's skill. Like most guitarist-composers of this era, Carcassi wrote variations and fantasy forms of popular songs and operas, but Carcassi's skill at this genre far exceeded most of his contemporaries. Carcassi is most well-known today as an author of studies for amateurs which remain popular and effective. Nearly every classical guitarist has played a Carcassi etude at some point. The Carcassi method book is possibly the most widely used classical guitar method in history; it continues to be a top seller, and it has been continuously in print since its publication in the early 19th century. It remains a relevant treatise, and easily as good as Sor's studies. Gabriel Schebor's work: To see a true demonstration of playing according to Carcassi's technique, there is an excellent series by Gabriel Schebor on Youtube (search for "gschebor carcassi") performing Carcassi's Etudes on romantic guitar utilizing his method, as documented in the "Méthode... op.59" of 1836. As Gabriel explains: "Carcassi indicates clearly that the ring finger should be used only for 4-note arpeggios (where unavoidable) and 4-note chords. No nail playing, thumb always in "rest stroke" and the little finger resting on the soundboard. This approach shows similarity with Fernando Sor's technique and strongly resembles late Renaissance and Baroque lute technique." I am surprised to find that absolutely nobody, to my knowledge, has recorded any of Carcassi's serious concert works for guitar. They are excellent pieces, comparable to Giuliani or Legnani and surely deserve a decent recording. The only recordings I can find are the etudes and the 6 Caprices - all of which are beginner works. However, Carcassi is not considered to be an elite composer like Sor, Giuliani, or Carulli due to the lack of large-scale works for other instruments. I am only aware of one piece for piano and guitar by Carcassi; nowhere to be found are works for 2 or more instruments. One could make a similar criticism of Barrios today: an excellent guitar composer, but not a composer of large-scale pieces or orchestral works. |
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Without a doubt, the Carcassi Method and the pieces contained within is the most famous work. It is readily available from several publishers, including Mel Bay Music Publishers. The GFA Archives has a few Carcassi pieces, including Sonata: opus 1; Deux airs de ballets de l'opera de Moise de Rossini: op. 28, no. 1. The Caprices opus 26 still circulates as well. A large collection of extended operatic fantasies is available from Donald Sauter in the Guitar music in the Library of Congress. Tuscany Guitar Publications released a Carcassi concert work, Adieux a la Suisse - this is one of Carcassi's best pieces, one that I personally enjoy playing. |
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Biographical Information: Carulli was a prolific composer, an early pioneer who pre-dated Sor and Giuliani, and was considered by many to be the father of the modern 6-string guitar. Some of his best pieces are exceptional, and are among the finest works of this era. In many ways, Carulli is under-rated as a composer and should be re-examined. Carulli's compositional abilities are demonstrated in the many large-scale works for guitar with violin, flute, piano, and many fine guitar duets. Despite this, very little Carulli material is in print: and unfortunately, like Carcassi, only the beginner pieces for amateurs by Carulli can be found in print today, which leaves the mistaken impression that this was the extent of Carulli's capabilities. Today, this situation is starting to be corrected by available free facsimiles from REX, and a few fine recordings of these serious, extended works by Saracino and Savino, among others. It is often stated, and I agree, that Carulli's output varies in quality considerably, varying from masterpiece gems to tired formulas. However, I believe a composer should be judged by the quality of the concert pieces, not of the pieces published expressly for beginners. I have found upon examining dozens of original facsimile manuscripts and listening to recordings of Carulli's works for guitar with violin/flute/piano, that in general, Carulli made a clear distinction in his publications between beginner pieces and concert pieces. The beginner pieces were clearly indicated as such, and thus they are more limited to the first positions on the guitar, lesser difficulty, and simpler musical ideas, to allow development of the amateur player. The concert pieces are more developed, more difficult, and musically more complex. I also share the firm belief of Richard Savino and others, that Carulli was a top-tier 19th century guitar composer, and vastly under-rated. With a little patience and access to many scores, the gems in Carulli's repertoire are worth the search. Stylistically, Carulli follows the classical period mold in the style of Mozart and Haydn - it sounds like the late 18th-century style, fast and light with appropriate "affect" and interpretation. In that style, emotions and moods were called "affects" and were confined to a section of a piece. The "affect" did not change until a new section: thus, in accordance with most "classical" period music, individual variations would be major or minor, and consistent in their "affect" - resolute, sad, joyful, etc.. In the later romantic period, "affects" changed frequently and flowed capriciously. In the year 1810, Carulli was already 40 years old - and clearly in 1810, published music followed the classical style. Carulli was very active as a composer from 1800-1820: a true "classical" guitarist. The "romantic" period did not start until at least 1820-30, and we do find evolution in Carulli's later opus numbers to change with the times somewhat. While modern guitarists sometimes think of this music as "cliché" - it must be noted how early this music was published, and as Richard Long points out, Carulli invented many effects and portions of the guitar's language that were new and innovative at the time, and widely copied to the point that today they seem clichés. Another point of interpreting Carulli, is that the pieces will surely sound dull if you play it dull. In other words, add dynamics, phrasing, color, intensity, and emotion to bring out the music. Carulli's writing was not confined to solo guitar. In fact, solo guitar was the smallest percentage of Carulli's output. Carulli's serious works for guitar duet are among the finest in the entire repertoire (one such duo was recorded by John Williams and Julian Bream), and there are many suites to choose from. Carulli's works for piano and guitar were recently recorded by Leopoldo Saracino (guitar) and Massimo Palumbo (piano): these works comprise fully 8 CD ROM's! Carulli also recorded numerous duos for guitar and flute, guitar and violin, and Guitar Trio (e.g. for Guitar, Flute, and Violin - not for 3 guitars), in addition to various other combinations, including chamber works. In those days, Carulli's vision was to treat the guitar just like any other orchestral instrument, and ensemble playing was a huge part of its purpose. |
 "Carulli, bequeathed his guitar to the museum of the National Conservatoire of Music, while he was a professor in that institution. This beautiful Italian instrument, with the dedication of his guitar method, was presented by Ferdinand Carulli to his son (Gustave) in 1810. It was constructed from his designs in elegant rosewood with marquetry of ivory and ebony, the head and neck are most cleverly executed, terminating in the form of a bow of ribbon, while on the table - which is chastely inlaid with ivory and ebony — are the initials of Gustave Carulli carved in ivory, and forming the terminations of the scrolls of the bridge. The sound hole is unusual, being partially closed by a delicate ivory cameo of a muse playing a lyre." - Philip Bone |
Editor's Suggested Picks:
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There is only one published source of Coste's complete facsimile works, Chanterelle Editions, resold by Mel Bay Music Publishers Publications. Volumes 1-6 and 9 are solo material; volume 7 is guitar duets, and volume 8 is flute/oboe/violin and guitar duets. Some volumes are becoming scarce, indicating perhaps this is fast going out of print.
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Motivically-based high quality compositions for solo, duo, and quart guitar. I spoke with Joe Costello of Phoenix, Arizona, who discovered the works of Adam Darr in a German library while travelling to Europe. Joe is working to publish these fine works (see JosephCostello Site). REX contains a few short pieces in an anthology as well as a large number of excellent duets for 2 guitars in an Eggers (editor) volume (music from A.Darr in the Number RiBS1075-1 and RiBS1075-2). The Boije collection also has some of the duets missing from REX and a few solo works, mostly short. "Darr's talents in composing and performing on the guitar are well documented, but his abilities in singing and on the zither are little known to present day music fans of the guitar. Darr was born at Schweinfurt, Germany, 1811 and died at Augsburg, in 1866. At the age of eighteen he began his musical activities in performance and travelled throughout Europe performing before royal courts. At the end of his tour in Russia, he remained in St. Petersburg to teach and perform and after three years returned to a position in Wurzburg. At this time he teamed up with Frederick Brand and began a relationship as a guitar duet performing throughout Germany until his death October 22, 1866." - from Norbert Fischer |
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Degen had very close ties to Napoléon Coste, and the music also employs the optional 7th string (tuned to C or D, depending on the piece). For players with 7, 8, or 10-string guitars, this is a welcome addition to the repertoire. The 7th string can be raised an octave for 6-string guitars as it is used sparingly. The instrument Degen used was made by Stauffer. Stylistically, the music is close to Coste's style. The music is good, but not quite at the compositional level of Coste. Degen has his own style to some degree, and at moments he can write fine and interesting music with depth. At other times, the music can be too formula-based, especially the shorter waltz-based pieces. The longer pieces are more challenging and interesting. Most importantly, Degen was a master cellist and wrote many pieces for cello and guitar available from Jens Rasmussen and Tecla Editions. These are pehaps the most important works for cello and guitar in the 19th century repertoire, and they are Degen's finest works as well. |
 |  | Guitarist, Composer, Pianist, Publisher. Diabelli is most famous for the theme upon which Beethoven based an extensive set of variations, and for being Beethoven's publisher. Diabelli composed works for guitar solo, duo, and guitar with other instruments, including many pieces for guitar and forte-piano. These pieces are charming, but not of the quality of Giuliani. As a publisher, Diabelli published thousands of works for many instruments, and became wealthy as the owner of Vienna's leading publishing firm. Many guitar compositions were published by Diabelli, including many Giuliani first editions. Interestingly, as documented in Dr. Heck's biography, Giuliani once wrote in a private letter to a friend that Diabelli earned his "eternal contempt" for publishing practices which enriched Diabelli at the performer's expense. |
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Dubez was a Viennese guitarist who studied with Mertz and became a virtuoso concert guitarist. Only a few works were published, which can be found for free PDF download from REX (including the Mertz-style Hungarian Fantasy), and also several hand-written manuscripts can be found in Boije. |
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His compositions make extensive use of the 10-string guitar, and it is nearly fruitless to attempt these pieces with less than an 8-string instrument. It also requires 22-24 frets on some pieces, clearly for the Staufer-style guitar. Most of the works are extremely difficult, with fast note flourishes, and clearly written for virtuoso players. In the later 19th century, as the romantic period flourished, instrumental virtuosity and sentiment were prevalent and sometimes overdone. The Fantaisie Hongrois stands out as probably the best work, and Robert Trent has included this in concert programs. It borrows from the Mertz piece of the same title but is a new composition. While challenging, it is not impossible to play. Michael Sieberichs-Nau has researched Dubez, and points out that these works are elaborate, only for professionals (like Liszt). Apparently, only 2 works by Dubez were published, and probably due to the technical requirements, other pieces were probably sold as hand-copied manuscripts individually by the composer, a practice which is well-documented during this time period and done by Mertz. |
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 The actual guitar used by Dubez has surfaced: a Staufer/Scherzer design with cutaway for easy upper fret access, and 10 strings. Brigitte Zaczek kindly provided photos of a guitar she "recently aquired at an auction in Vienna: a very peculiar specimen of a 10 string guitar, unlabeled but with the signature of Johann Dubez inside. It does not seem to have been built in Vienna but according to Alex Timmerman it shows some similarities with instruments built by Henryk Rudert (Warsaw)." |
 | François De Fossa is beginning to gain notice as a major composer of substantial merit. The solo pieces are advanced and musically rich, and the chamber pieces show Fossa's true capabilities at larger-scale works. Very little guitar music survives, but what remains is superb, including an excellent set of chamber pieces with guitar, and the exceptional Haydn arrangements. Fossa was a friend of Aguado. The outstanding article of M. Ophee provides biographical details: FRANÇOIS DE FOSSA, A French Guitarist in Mexico by Matanya Ophee, and Ophee publishes several works by Fossa. The Ophee edition is superb: it has a good biography, plus the music conforms as a true urtext edition to the originals and I prefer these editions to the facsimile. Orphee has also released a newly discovered work, Troisième Fantaisie Op. 10 sur un Thême de Beethoven. The music is challenging but well worth the effort. Fossa was not obliged to make a living at music, and thus held to the highest artistic standards of composition. There is one fine guitar duet in the REX collection. The Boije collection contains 2 works not in REX or Orphee. |
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Biographical Information: Giuliani left his native Italy in his early 20's for Vienna, where he was among the elite composers in Vienna during the early 19th century. His friends included Beethoven, Schubert, Hummel, Rossini, and Paganini, and he performed for the top venues and people of his age. Giuliani played the guitar, Lyra guitar, was an accomplished vocalist, and cellist - who played cello in the world premier of Beethoven's 7th symphony. Giuliani wrote a few complete concertos, with assistance from Hummel to orchestrate them, as well as a great deal of chamber music and duets for 2 guitars, flute, piano, and violin. Late night jam sessions with Schubert and friends were weekly, as well as concert appearances and collaboration with other elite musicians which were a frequent occurence. Giuliani's 200+ vocal works have been compared to Schubert's in their quality, and possibly surpass them. As a close friend of Rossini, Giuliani was given original manuscripts to arrange as he liked, and access to Rossini for input on his Rossini arrangements. Giuliani's solo works number over 18 volumes through Tecla. Across the board, contemporary reviews of his playing rank him as one of the greatest performers of the guitar to have ever lived. Giuliani's music is lively, interesting, dynamic and convincing. The guitar writing is idiomatic and clever; always using the guitar to its fullest capacity, so that seemingly difficult pieces are logical and attainable. As with Sor, the parts are "correct" as they said back then - in other words, proper voice leading, harmony, and full parts written out. This music was popular upon its release, and has withstood the test of time. Giuliani is without a doubt among the top 3 composers for the guitar in the 19th century, and probably for all time. Dr. Heck has published a complete biography of this diverse, prolific, and amazing composer of the 19th century guitar; it is available through Editions Orphee. I have read Dr. Heck's book, and I would highly recommend it. For an overview, read Dr. Brian Jeffery's article: Notes on Giuliani's music. See also The Italian Guitar in the 19th-Century: Sixty biographies - Sixty biographies of Italian guitarist composers of Nineteenth century in alphabetic order (edited by Marco Bazzotti). Biographical notes by George C. Krick (1940). Emilia Giuliani, Mauro's daughter, also published a few works, as did Michel Giuliani, Mauro's son. |
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The Digital Guitar Archive has published an authoritative edition of Huerta titled "A. T. Huerta Life and Works". This edition is over 180 pages, including biographical information, photos, and around 25 compositions - the entire surviving guitar works extant at time of publication. As more works may yet surface, future volumes may be forthcoming. The printing is clear, bold, and urtext - highly recommended. |
Mazurka in A - published in a prior issue of Soundboard Magazine, and also released as part of the "Mazurka Collection" by Matthew Ardizzone, sold through Mel Bay Music Publishers.
The most famous set of pieces is the 36 Caprices, in all major and minor keys. This was probably a response to the Paganini 24 Caprices for violin. They are designed to be challenging etudes for the guitar, as a study of technique. Chanterelle through Mel Bay Music Publishers has a facsimile set, as does Ricordi. These are Legnani's most famous pieces.
There is a Grand Study available through Mel Bay Music Publishers, more or less a pot-pourri.
UT Orpheus - Italy Opus 1,3,4, and "Variazioni facili sopra un tema della Cenerentola". Another Italian site with a few pieces is GuitarOnline.IT. I'm not sure how to order from these sites though. If you know, please email me.
"Legnani/Rossini/Op. 2 Ouverture de l'Italien a alger" is available in the Guitar music in the Library of Congress. Marco Bazzotti published a list of the printed works of Luigi Legnani. I have taken his list, cross referenced it against my own collection and Brian Jeffery's collection, plus a thorough search of Internet sources, to compile the following list which is more complete. If anyone has additions, corrections, or clarifications, please email me. Professor Giuseppe Gazzelloni in Italy is a Legnani scholar who provided many details also. The professor also edited the Chanterelle Paganini complete guitar works.
Dubious / possibly duplicate titles *:
0 RIDUZIONE D'OPERA
0 VARIAZIONI (guitar)
0 VARIAZIONI (guitar)
0 VARIAZIONI (guitar)
0 VARIAZIONI FACILI (guitar)
0 VARIAZIONI FACILI (guitar)
0 Duette für Flöte und Gitarre [G: "In my opinion, this title can be removed: only the “Cavatina d’Ernani”, the “Cavatina d’Elvira”, and the works 23 and 87 are found for flute and guitar so far".*]
0 Gran studio per la chitarra (same as op 60*)
0 Theme avec variations pour guitare, 6 pages Missing part of p. 4. [G: "In my opinion, this title can be removed: maybe one of the other works which appear in the list, for example, opus nos. 4, or 29 or 237".*]
0 Oh! quante lagrime (probably same as op 18/24).
43 Duo Concertante (flute & guitar) [G: "In my opinion, this title can be removed. I have no information about a “Duetto concertante” (flute & guitar) op. 43; perhaps it is op. 23"*]
Luigi Legnani Surviving Known Works:
Opus Title
0 Cavatina d’Elvira per chitarra sola *
0 Gran Sonata per chitarra *
0 Introduzione dell’Atto 2° nell’Opera Ernani per chitarra sola *
0 Sinfonia nella Gazza Ladra... per chitarra sola *
0 Cavatina d’Elvira ridotta per flauto e chitarra *
0 Fantasy on "Ernani" for flute & guitar [Cavatina d’Ernani...ridotta per flauto e chitarra*]
0 Tre balli nazionali [La Mazzurca, La Gitana, e La Cachucha*]
0 Variazioni dalla "Armida" [Variazioni su tema del Duetto...*]
0 Introduzione e Rondò
0 Variazioni facili sopra un tema della Cenerentola
0 Grand Caprice in D [This work is different from op. 6 and op. 34. The exact title (without opus number) is the following: “Gran Capriccio per chitarra sola”. It is the same work (WoOp) of “Grande Sonata quasi Fantasia” per chitarra) *]
0 36 Walzer / Thirty-six Short Valses [36 Valses di difficoltà progressiva*]
1 Terremoto con variazioni
2 Legnani/Rossini/Op. 2 Ouverture de l'Italien a Alger [Gran Sinfonia...*]
3 Gran ricercario o studio
4 Tema con variazioni sul terzetto "Pria che l'impegno" op. 4
5 Duetto Nell Opera L'Italiana in Algeri di Rossini [Duetto Ai Capricci della sorte...*]
6 Gran Capriccio
7 Cavatina "Languir per una bella"
8 Coro e rondo "Pensa alla patria" nell'opera "L'Italiana in Algeri" de Rossini
10 Scherzo con Variazioni [Scherzo / ossia / quattro Variazioni*]
11 Rondeau
12 Gran Variazioni sopra un Motivo Tirolese
16 Gran variazioni sul duetto, "Nel cor piu non mi sento," nell'opera "La Molinara"
18 & 24 2 themes de l'opera "La dame du lac": 1. Cavatine; 2. Marche favorite de Rossini
[Please note that the 2 themes are the op. nos. 18 & 24: Deux themes....1. Cavatine (Oh quante Lagrime), 2. Marche favorite. Also published separately with opus nos. 18 and 24 respectively*]
18 Cavatine (Oh quante Lagrime) de l'opera "La dame du lac" [also published together with op. 24*]
19 Fantasia
20 36 Caprices
21 Introduzione e variazioni per la chitarra sopra la cavatina favorita, "Sorte secondami," nell'opera "Zelmira," di Rossini
22 Variazioni sopra la Marcia nell'Opera Freyschutz di Weber
23 Duo Concertante Op. 23 (flute & guitar)
24 Variazioni sopra un tema della Donna del lago di Rossini [also published together with op. 18*]
25 Variazioni sopra un Tema di Schuster (later revised and simplified as opus 237)
26 Melange favori sur Zelmira et Corradino de Rossini et autres motifs originaux composes.
27 Grand Variations on an original theme [Introduzione / Gran Variazioni e Coda / sopra un tema originale...*]
28 Variazioni Concertanti Op. 28 (guitar & pianoforte)
[Please note that the exact title of this work - composed by Leidesdorf and Legnani - is the following: Variations Concertantes / sur / un Thême de Rossini / pour / Piano et Guitare / avec Accompagnement / de deux Violons, Alto et Basse / Par / Leidesdorf et Legnani / Œuv. 28 (de Legnani)*]
29 Theme avec variations brillantes et non difficiles
30 Variations Agreables sur la Romance favorite du Cendrillon "Non Piu Mesta Accanto al Foco"
31 Potpourri brillant
32 Potpourri en caprice
34 Gran Capriccio
40 Introduction, Theme, and Variations Dedicated to Pacini...
60 Gran Caprice Studio [“Gran Caprice ou Etude...” Please note that Prof. Gazzelloni edited a modern Urtext Edition (published by Chanterelle Verlag) of this work*]
61 Grande fantasia per chitarra sola
62 Introduzione e Rondò
63 36 Waltzes
64 Introduzione, tema, variazioni e finale: composit l'anno 1832 [The exact title is the following: Introduzione, /Tema, Variazioni / e Finale / per la / Chitarra Sola / composti da / Luigi Legnani / Opera 64*]
87 Gran Duetto Op. 87 (flute & guitar)
- I would speculate that Legnani did not publish any opus numbers in the 100's - perhaps he took a break, or for whatever reason decided to re-start with 201.
201 Fantasy on "Norma" (6 or 8 string)
202 Fantasy on William Tell (6 or 8 string)
203 Melodies National Hongroises (6 or 8 string)
204 Rondoletto scherzoso
222 Recueil des Mélodies modernes [Recueil des Melodies...*]
224 Introduction theme et variations
237 Introduction et theme (this is a re-write of opus 25, easier to play than op. 25, based on the theme by Schuster)
238 Gran pot-pourri: sopra alcuni motivi d'opere favorite
250 Method for the guitar & 6 Caprices from the Method [Metodo e 6 Capricetti per chitarra che servono di compimento dell’op. 250*]
 | Interest in LHoyer has risen lately, with an in-depth article and biographical information from Erik Stenstadvold and Mr. Ophee. In LHoyer's day, various publications which list the top guitarists consistently rated LHoyer among the top 10, a well-deserved reputation, based on the quality of his published music. The chamber music in particular is outstanding, with duets and trios which are among the very best for the instrument. LHoyer's solo material is fairly difficult, but it exhibits a sparkle and "kick" which is characteristic of late 18th-century music, but with a distinctive flair and unique style. Early LHoyer pieces were written for the 5-string (or 5-course) instrument, with no notes lower than "A". Other pieces, the majority, are 6-string works. The revival of LHoyer's music is long overdue. |
 Agustín Maruri CD of Matiegka |
Matiegka was born in Bohemia, moving to Moravia, and in 1791 enrolled in the University of Prague as a law student. Matiegka's musical background and training was mostly violin, clave, voice, violoncello, and piano, in addition to the guitar. For this reason, much of his music is chamber music with guitar, in addition to solo guitar, which he learned later. In 1800, Matiegka became a professional musician, moving to Vienna, but was obliged to work in law. By 1817, Matiegka was established as a musician and guitar composer. After 1817, Matiegka worked in church appointments and sacred music. He died in 1830 and the age of 57 from a lung condition. Agustín Maruri provided the above biographical details and has recorded many of Matiegka's works on CD. |
Biographical Information:
From The Memoirs of Makaroff: "...Mertz, whose manuscripts, not in my possession, represent the precious pearls of guitar repertoire! ... Mertz was a tall man, about 50, neither fat nor thin, very modest and with no hint of a pretense to greatness about him. As soon as it was feasible, I offered him my guitar and asked him to play something. He took it readily and immediately began to play. It was a fascinating large work. "By whom is this piece written?" I asked. "By me," was the answer. "It has not been published yet." Then he played another piece, and still another. Each one better than the last -- all magnificent. I was dumbfounded with surprise and admiration. I felt like a Columbus discovering a new America, for here was the great guitar composer I had long given up hope of finding. I had been searching for him everywhere, among the countless pieces of music I bought throughout Russia and Europe. Afterwards, I had thrown them away in despair, finding them worthless rubbish, cooked up by talentless modern composers such as Padovetz, Carcassi, Bobrovich, Bayer, Soussman, Kuffner, etc.. In contrast, the music played by Mertz, to which I listened with ever-growing rapture, contained everything -- rich composition, great musical knowledge, excellent development of an idea, unity, novelty, grandeur of style, absence of trivial expression and multiplicity of harmonic effects. At the same time, there was the clear basic melody, which kept surging above the surface of arpeggios and chords. The effects were brilliant and daring. Basic to all this, he had a deep understanding of the instrument with all its possibilities and hidden secrets. In his full-hearted compositions, I liked the finales and introductions especially well, because they were unusual and were wonderfully developed. They could be removed from the rest and played separately without losing their power and musical significance. Thus, they could give full satisfaction to any listener. " Biographical notes by George C. Krick: "As a performer and writer for guitar, Mertz is ranked amongst the most illustrious; his original compositions, transcriptions and operatic arrangements are gems of beauty. He was a musician of exceptional attainments, and a poetic and sublime writer for his instrument. He was a great inventor, not only as regards the technical treatment of the guitar but also as regards his compositions for the instrument, and whatever Mertz wrote showed his exquisite refinement. A vulgar melody or a commonplace harmony seems to have been impossible to his very nature. In his concerts Mertz used a ten stringed guitar, that is, with four free swinging bass strings added to the regular six stringed instrument. Frequently his wife appeared with him on concert programs, playing piano accompaniments to his guitar. Mertz was a prolific composer, although the majority of his works consist of transcriptions and arrangements of classical compositions for guitar solo, guitar duo, or guitar and piano. His early compositions, Op. 1 to 7, are of a light character—Hungarian dances, nocturnes, polonaises. Under the title of "Opera Revue, Op. 8", Mertz wrote thirty-three classic transcriptions for guitar solo of favorite operas, these arrangements being vastly superior to anything of the kind published previously or at a later date. In these numbers, each one of them consisting of ten or more pages, Mertz has employed all the resources of the instrument; and their performance requires technic of the highest order. They should be in the library of every serious minded guitarist. "Barden Klaenge, Op. 13" is a group of thirteen tone pictures, purest gems of melody, of medium difficulty, but well worth while. Altogether there were more than one hundred published opus numbers, and many more remained in manuscript. These manuscripts stayed in the possession of Mertz's widow, who survived her husband many years; but some time before her death on August 5th, 1903, the International Guitar Society raised by subscription a sufficient sum to purchase them, and they are preserved in the society's library in Munich. For unaccountable reasons the present day guitar virtuosos have neglected the music of Mertz; which is a pity, as there are many of his compositions and arrangements that would delight an appreciative audience. Here are the titles of a few, in addition to those already mentioned, that would grace any concert program: from Op. 8, "Ernani", "La Favorita", "Rigoletto", "The Barber of Seville", and "The Merry Wives of Windsor"; from Op. 13, Capriccio, "Fingal's Cave", and Tarantelle."" - George C. Krick The music of Mertz is among the best of the 19th century. Mertz and Coste best represent the generation after Sor and Giuliani, but before the later Spanish romantic composers. This music is highly dramatic and emotional, with many dynamic markings indicated. Much of the music is opera arrangements, or operatic in style. Mertz is known to have played Scherzer guitars, who was a builder for Stauffer. Thus, Stauffer style guitars sound best for Mertz given their quick attack, enormous dynamic range, and sensitive tone capacity. As I often play Mertz on a Stauffer copy by Kresse, it is obvious to me through the compositional style that the music was written with this guitar school's sonority in mind. Several later works by Mertz, especially the concert works, utilize guitars with multiple bass strings - probably a 10-string. The first 6 strings are normal, followed by open strings D - C - B - A below the 6th string. Most players today raise the octaves of these extended notes; since they are used sparingly this is not a great compromise. However, if you have an 8-10 string guitar, you can realize the full sonority of the music. Many works, such as the Bardenklange and Opern Revue pieces, however, do not utilize more than 6 strings. A great deal of Mertz is in print, though this is a fraction of his output given the opus number gaps. Mertz wrote many pieces with piano as his wife was an accomplished keyboardist, most of which are not in print. Many pieces are only found in European libraries and private collections. In addition to extended bass range guitars, Mertz also wrote ensemble pieces for Terz guitar, which is tuned three half steps higher than a normal guitar thus giving it an extended upper range and superior projection for ensemble situations. All the known guitar duos for example are for Terz and Normal guitar. Difficulty Level and Scope: Mertz wrote mainly for solo guitar, as well as several duets and pieces for piano and guitar. The piano portions may have been composed to a great degree by Mertz's wife, who was a virtuoso pianist. Indeed, Mertz may have had a great deal of input and collaboration with his wife on a number of his pieces, given their pianistic nature. The ensemble music by Mertz requires Terz guitar. As was common practice, Mertz composed mostly arrangements or fantasies of operas or folk songs, in addition to a few original themes, and many theme & variation pieces. Mertz wrote well over 100 pieces for guitarists of Medium ability, most of which are operatic fantasies. Although most guitarist composers wrote for the operatic fantasy medium, Mertz excelled in this regard and far surpassed most of his contemporaries. Other concert pieces, such as the Elegy and Hungarian Fantasy, require very advanced technique. The music was written idiomatically to the guitar. Available Repertoire: Around 100 works by Mertz are available for free PDF download from REX. There are also a few Manuscripts in Boije. REX includes the entire Opern Revue opus 8, all 33 opera fantasies. Also several works for terz guitar with second guitar or piano are found. Solo works include most of the major solo pieces including the famous "Bardenklange" series which I recommend most people should start with. On a humorous note, even the great composers had bills to pay: Mertz published the 136 "Cuckoo" or "136 Little Entertainings" series - 136 very short parlour pieces for beginners which are arrangements of popular tunes and operas, starting with "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and covering most operas and popular folk songs of various countries. Many of the works her are not available anywhere else and they are all 19th century facsimiles. Norbert Fisher points out that the manuscript section of REX contains four other duos of Mertz: Ms 159: "Die Hugonotten", Ms 160: "Mazurka op40", Ms160: "Einsiedlers Waldglöcken", and Ms 161: "Es lebe der Fasching". This would be 21 known Mertz duos, 11 from Chanterelle, plus Flotow-Stradella, Der Ball, Wasserfahrt am Traunsee, Erinnerungen an Ungarn I and II, Fantasia "La Rage" and the four above. "Erinnerungen an Ungarn" and the Fantasia are in the "österreichische Nationalbiliothek".
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The most complete collection is probably by Chanterelle, the "Collected Works" - reseller is Mel Bay Music Publishers. The "Bardenklange" - or "Songs of the Bards" are the most popular pieces, very nice musically, and accessible to players of intermediate ability. |
The only other pieces in print by Mertz to my knowledge are a couple of pieces at FFSI in an anthology FFSI Collection of Classical Guitar Solos , and 2 short freebies by Tuscany.
Mertz' Opern Revue is a set of 33 opera arrangements for solo guitar, some of which are well-known. Each arrangement is a major work of at least 6-15 pages. The REX library has all 33 pieces for free download. The Chanterelle edition only presents 4 of the Opern Revue pieces. Gendai in Japan is slowly publishing the Opern Revue editions, and Soundboard announced the eventual publication of the entire set, but presently the entire set is out of print. The GFA Archives has all 33, but this can get expensive since the entire set is several hundred pages. The GFA Archives appears to have several pieces that are not in print elsewhere, but since the titles vary slightly, it is hard to tell. |
The Digital Guitar Archive is publishing a newly engraved edition of the entire 33-piece Opern Revue in several volumes. This edition contains extensive notes. The music is facsimile reprints of original editions, but somehow they were able to obtain pristine originals that look as clear, bold, and clean as any modern print - highly recommended. |
 | Frank Bungarten - J. K. Mertz: The Last Viennese Virtuoso - This recording is my personal favorite of all Mertz recordings. It is truly a reference recording, reflecting the musical style, interpretation, and timbre of the original music. Featuring 67 minutes of the works of Mertz, it is performed on a replica of what was likely the exact style of guitar used by Merz: an 1861 10-string Sherzer made by Gary Southwell, with a top from the stock of Julian Bream. Frank Bungarten is one of the top classical guitarists today, who in 1981, Andrés Segovia honoured him with the first prize at the Guitar Competition of Granada. The playing is musical and impeccible. The 10 strings enable playing the pieces as intended, for example, the Fantasie Hongroise is written for a 10-string guitar and we hear the full range, with thankfully a very musical rendition of this piece (anyone wishing to learn these pieces should get the recording or check out Frank's YouTube videos). The recording covers the concert repertoire by Mertz, providing welcome recordings of substantive but neglected repertoire. With virtuosity in abound, Frank's musicality and style presents an historically informed, exceptional rendition. 10 of 10 stars! |
 | J. K. Mertz - Barden-Klänge - Pavel Steidl - This recording represents for me, Mertz as it was meant to be heard. Presented are 17 selections from the Bardenklange ("Sound of the Bards") opus by Mertz, recorded on an original Viennese instrument by Ries, circa 1830. Pavel's playing is dynamic, expressive, and tastefully virtuosic, and especially authentic. Pavel is a leading interpreter of 19th century romantic guitar music who has based his approach on research of period performance practices. The result is a fluid and bold interpretation with wide use of dynamics, articulation, and color. Ornamentation and cadenzas are contributed by the performer and not straight from the score, as was documented to be the practice. Pavel's depth of the genre is also enhanced by his regional heritage and knowledge of the folk song idioms and dances which form the inspiration for Mertz' compositions, adding further authenticity to the performance. The Ries guitar has a tone which ideally fits the music. |
 | "One of Vienna's most esteemed musicians, Molitor was born at Neckarsulum, Wurtemburg, November 3, 1766, and died in Vienna February 21, 1848. His musical education began with his father and eventually was passed on to Abbe Vogler. From 1796-97 he was orchestral conductor and the year following was employed in the war office of Vienna. He retired on pension and devoted the rest of his life to music." - Dr. Ron Purcell, Music Department, Guitar Area California State University, Northridge |
 | Fererico Moretti was an important figure in the development of the 6-string guitar. Sor praises Moretti's compositions for their completeness of harmony and voices and credits Moretti for his influence. Sor mentions that Moretti proved the guitar was capable of music with full melody and accompaniment parts, fully voiced. In 1792 Moretti published a 5-course guitar method, and in 1799 in Madrid published the famous 6-string method. He lived in Madrid until 1838. It is regrettable so few pieces survive; they are high quality pieces. |
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Biographical Information: Paganini is the most famous composer to have ever lived who wrote for the guitar. Known mostly for violin, Paganini was also a prolific guitarist who wrote over 100 solo guitar pieces! These works were tied up in ownership dispute and legal issues for over 150 years, and released only in the last 20 years to the public. They were also in very sloppy notation, nearly impossible to read, and only through the efforts of Chanterelle to completely digitize the entire set, have they come into the repertoire. The 37 Sonatas in particular are excellent pieces which are beginning to get recorded. The music is accessible to intermediate guitarists. Paganini also wrote many violin pieces with guitar accompaniment. See also The Italian Guitar in the 19th-Century: Sixty biographies - Sixty biographies of Italian guitarist composers of Nineteenth century in alphabetic order (edited by Marco Bazzotti). |
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Chanterelle through Mel Bay Music Publishers has released the 3-volume set of Paganini's solo guitar works. The edition is well done; apparently free of errors (I have not found any), nice clear typeset, good binding, etc.. This is an "urtext" work, according to Mel Bay, "True to the maestro's original scores, no fingering, dynamic signs, or phrasing indications are given, forcing the modern player to resort to his/her own knowledge of period practice, taste, and musical instincts." Vol. 1 = 43 Ghiribizzi ("whims" or "fancies") easier pieces for amateurs; Vol. 2 = 37 Sonatas, accessible yet serious works deserving attention; Vol. 3 = Various compositions, mostly intermediate level. |
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As Richard Long states, "Pettoletti was an Italian virtuoso of the mid-19th century who spent much of his career in Scandinavia and Russia". Marco Bazzotti points out that Pettoletti was probably Italian, later moved to Germany, Sweden, and later St. Petersburg, Russia, which was then a vibrant center of 19th century guitar which Sor visited for several years. While in Russia, Pettoletti met the renown Russian 7-string guitarist Andrey Sychra, who encouraged Pettoletti to compose for the 7-string Russian guitar. Thus, several of Pettoletti's pieces are Russian editions in Russian 7-string tuning, although most are normal 6-string pieces. 29 Pettoletti scores are available from REX, including several duets with Terz guitar, 6-string guitar scores, and Russian 7-string scores in Russian tuning. This music for me was a significant discovery, a composer worthy of serious study and revival. Many pieces are virtuosic-sounding, but are not as hard to play as they look, and thus serve to dazzle audiences. Two of these works are Russian Fantasies in normal 6-string tuning, and are thus an insight in to the haunting, minor-key beauty of the Russian 19th century style of playing. On my 8-string guitar, the 7-string Russian pieces are playable without retuning. |
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. Although obscure today, Luigi Picchianti was an important educator, author, composer, and performer of the guitar based in Florence, Italy. Biographical information and known works are listed in the "Just Classical Guitar" Bio link (photo from same source). Richard Long has published three works by Luigi Picchianti in GFA Soundboard. The works are well-crafted and show clever use of the fingerboard, falling naturally. The Variations on a theme of Weigl is especially nice. Richard Long points out that Florence produced other important guitarists, including Gragnani, Castellacci, and Carcassi. The Picchianti method from 1834, "Annotated and general principles of music theory and practice" (Principj generali e ragionati della musica teorico-pratica) is available on-line at "Italian Music Essays" link courtesy of Andreas Giger, College of Music and Dramatic Arts at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. |
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Biographical Information:
Regondi was an early child prodigy who enjoyed a successful career mostly in London. Regondi is the dedicatee of a Sor piece, with some possible connection to Sor, some speculate perhaps even early musical training. Regondi wrote for guitar and also an instrument called the Concertina. David Starobin's "The Great Regondi" CD recordings capture the fuller output.
IGRA Article See also The Italian Guitar in the 19th-Century: Sixty biographies - Sixty biographies of Italian guitarist composers of Nineteenth century in alphabetic order (edited by Marco Bazzotti). |
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Regondi's music is graceful and romantic in style, with rapid, almost frenzied virtuosic displays and sentimental melody. Regondi's music seems ahead of its time; it reminds me a great deal of later works by Barrios and the original pieces by Llobet. The influence Regondi had upon these later composers is immediately evident. Regondi played a Stauffer guitar, and David Starobin breathes new life into the music on a Stauffer replica by Southwell (I have also had the privilege to hear Starobin play Regondi in concert). Because it is later romantic, pushing the edge of "early romantic" - it sounds excellent to my ears on a modern classical guitar - e.g. the brilliant John Holmquist recording of the etudes. It is somewhat difficult to play, or at least requires a great deal of persistence to master the concert works. The "Introduction et Caprice" and "Fete Villageoise" are becoming standards of the early 19th century romantic repertoire. The Etudes are excellent pieces as well: very challenging but rewarding. The only known works of Regondi solo guitar music are the facsimile concert works by Chanterelle through Mel Bay Music Publishers, and the recently discovered 10 Etudes by Editions Orphee. The Orphee edition of the etudes is exceptional in its scholarship and quality. A newly discovered work is the "Air varié de l’opera de Bellini I Capuleti e i Montecchi" also by Editions Orphee (Regondi-Bellini link). |
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Rung's music is stylistically similar to Sor's, but with a Scandinavian component. The music is good, but the writing is not on the level of the master composers like Coste or Mertz. I would rate Rung a step below his teacher, Degen. The duo and trio material is much better than the solo material, in my view. |
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Schubert is one of the top classical composers of all time, famous for his many vocal works, including the "Ave Maria" and other Lieds (songs).
Schubert played violin, piano, and guitar, and is depicted in portraits playing the guitar while singing. Also, Schubert composed the "Arpeggione" Concerto now played on 6-string guitar by John Williams; the arpeggione was an instrument built by Stauffer - tuned like a guitar but bowed.
Schubert played Stauffer guitars, and by various accounts was an accomplished guitarist, and a close friend of Giuliani. Unfortunately, Schubert did not leave substantial guitar compositions behind, only simple accompaniment parts. During Schubert's life, he was not recognized and lived nearly in poverty. He died in 1828, at only 31 years of age, probably of syphilis.
Schubert's music was harmonically bold and proved to be hugely influential in the decades following.
"Diabelli published the first compositions of Franz Schubert, when he was
unknown as a musical composer, and these first publications were
his songs with guitar accompaniment. Schubert was a guitarist,
and wrote all his vocal works with guitar in the first instance.
Some few years later, when the pianoforte became more in vogue,
Schubert, at the request of his publisher, Diabelli, set pianoforte accompaniments to these same songs." - Philip Bone
 
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Fernando Sor's works have remained popular since they were written, and are still among the most widely-recorded and widely-played pieces in the repertoire. A Sor biography was written by Dr. Brian Jeffery; I have read this book and highly recommend it. The Third Edition published in 2020 has many important new details such as information about Sor's first wife; the book is available in a digital download edition. Many guitarists are surprised to learn that Fernando Sor was not only a guitar composer, but also a composer of large scale orchestral works, and music for piano and voice. Sor's opera "Telemachus on the Island of Calypso" was successful. Sor taught and performed as a vocalist, and was an accomplished pianist. Sor wrote serious music with a high level of compositional integrity; and considered himself a "harmonist". Sor's music has a vocal, lyrical quality with proper voicing and harmonic structure. |
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Tecla is the publisher of the Sor Complete Works in a set of facsimile editions. I often refer to the original primary sources for reference, even when using a newly engraved edition. Tecla also released the "New Complete Works" which are urtext new engravements. These are nice because they are easier to read. The first edition had errors, so I recommend getting the second edition with fixes included (errata for the first edition is available on Tecla's web site). Any serious guitarist should have Sor's complete works in their library. Because of legal issues, most of Sor's best works, e.g. his later editions, were only recently printed with the Tecla set. There are many gems well worth uncovering that have had scant recordings made, despite their caliber. The duet material is some of the finest ever written for the guitar. The Tecla set includes all the published solo and duo works known to exist (with one exception, below), and thus I do not recommend any other editions of Sor, as with other editions you are buying single pieces "a la carte" and many other editions are heavily fingered, where the editor's fingerings might not be what Sor intended, or may be bad fingerings in general (though some editors do a good job). |
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Biographical Information: There is a great deal of biographical information readily found on the web site and musical editions about Tarrega, so I won't repeat those details here, but I will instead offer my perspective. Tarrega is one of the most popular composer-arrangers for the guitar even to this day. Nearly every classical guitarist was drawn to the guitar through his music and plays some of his works, some of which are the most famous pieces in the entire repertoire. Tarrega was also an avid transcriber, including works by Beethoven, Albeniz, and Bach, which have formed the template for today's transcriptions. While Tarrega is sometimes credited with inventing various techniques, it would be more accurate to say that Tarrega mastered existing techniques and passed them to a new generation of guitarists. Tarrega was taught by Julian Arcas and others, with an instructional lineage tracing directly to Dionisio Aguado. Tarrega used fingernails in the same manner as Arcas and Aguado - shorter than most modern guitarists, and late in his life converted to a no-nails technique, driven in large part for medical reasons. Tarrega was a noted teacher, and his students became the foundation of the "modern" Segovia school: notably Llobet, Fortea and others. Although it is commonly reported that Segovia was self-taught, Segovia spent a lot of time with Tarrega's students and undoubtedly learned their techniques. Tarrega wrote music in the same style as his contemporaries in Spain: Broca, Vinas, Arcas and others who preceded him produced the same style, although Tarrega's compositions have withstood the test of time and continue to draw new listeners and players. Although Tarrega's compositions do not include large-scale works, they are fun, charming, and remain popular to this day. Tarrega played guitars by Torres, the same kind that were played by his instructor Julian Arcas. |
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Biographical Information: The complete biography is published by Simon Wynberg, available from Mel Bay Music Publishers. See also The Italian Guitar in the 19th-Century: Sixty biographies - Sixty biographies of Italian guitarist composers of Nineteenth century in alphabetic order (edited by Marco Bazzotti). IGRA Notes Biographical notes by George C. Krick. |
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