Minor authors of 19th-Century Italian Guitar
translated by M. Penny
Luigi Agliati (XIX cent.)
The biography of Luigi Agliati is still very uncertain.
He was very probably from Milan, for it is in this city in Lombardy that he
pursued his activity as guitarist and composer for the guitar in the first years
of the 1800's. Some of his works were published by Ricordi (Milan) in the first
decades of the century: Variazioni (1809) and Sonata (1810) for guitar, now at
the Library at Milan Conservatory, dated about 1810, and a Tema/con sei
variazioni/per chitarra sola/ composte/dal dilettante/Luigi Agliati
Agliati is the dedicatee of the Gran Ouverture Op. 61 composed by Mauro
Giuliani and of other works by Luigi Legnani, Mosè Borsani,
and Pietro Lunghi.
Giangiacomo Appiani (XIX cent.)
Guitarist of Italian origin, who lived in the first half of
the 19th-century; little is known about his life and activity. His known work is
"Trois Themes / avec Variations / pour la guitare seule / par Jean
Jacques Appian / amateur," of about 1810, preserved at the Library of
Milan Conservatory. He was the dedicatee of the Duets for Violin and Guitar, Op.
23, by Antonio Nava.
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Bonifacio Asioli (1769-1832)
Bonifacio Asioli, composer, music teorist and teacher,
was born on August 30, 1769, in Correggio; he began studying music when he was 5
years old. In 1787 he was present in Turin, where he stayed until 1796; he was
then in Venice until 1799. He moved after that to Milan where he was acclaimed
as a teacher at the Royal Conservatory, founded in 1808, of which he became also
the first Director. In about 1825 his music method for guitarists was published
in Milan by Bertuzzi. It bears the title "Transunto / dei / Principi
elementari / di musica / compilati / dal celebre M.B. Asioli / chitarra."
Asioli is also known for a Duo for voice with guitar accompaniment, published by
Ricordi (Milan, about 1830).
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Matteo Barbi (XIX cent.)
Matteo Barbi was a musician of Italian origin, probably from Rome.
He composed a Concerto for guitar and orchestra and some Duettos for
clarinet and guitar, all preserved as manuscript at the Library Casanatese in
Rome; some his Duettos for violin and guitar are preserved at the Archivio
Storico at Ravenna.
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Nicola Bassi (XIX cent.)
Nicola Bassi was a musician of north Italian origin. Nicola
Bassi was an expert in voice and guitar; he flourished in the first half of
the 19th century. He published Six ariettes for voice and guitar, with
the opus number 3, for the Ricordi firm in Milan in 1808. Now the music is
preserved at the Biblioteca Conservatorio in Milan.
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Giuseppe Blanchi (1793?-1861)
Giuseppe Blanchi was a guitarist working in Turin and
in the Piedmont in the first decades of the 19th century. He was born in
Fossano (near Cuneo, in the Piedmont) in about 1793; he died in Turin in 1861.
Very little is known about his life and his activity as a concert artist. He was
author of many compositions for guitar, now lost. In the catalogue of the
publisher Giuseppe Magrini there is an interesting Sonata for guitar
dedicated to his "friend Luigi Legnani"
(~1830) and a Sinfonia for guitar was published by Pillement. His brother
Francesco Blanchi published his Metodo pratico per suonare la chitarra
senza conoscere la musica and other short pieces in the second half of the
century.
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Giuseppe A. Boccomini (1790?-?)
Giuseppe Alfredo Boccomini was an excellent guitarist,
active in the first years of the 1800's. He was born probably in Florence in the
late 1700's, but he moved to Rome after 1810, where he lived for many years. In
1812 or thereabouts his Grammar for French guitar was published by the
editor and bookseller Pietro Piale. This method book probably contained
his first compositions for guitar.
A dozen of his guitar works are known today. Among them we should mention some
works for voice with guitar accompaniment, published by Ricordi, and the Six
Valzer for guitar, published in Leipzig by Peters in the first
decades of the XIX century.
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Pietro Bottesini (XIX cent.)
Very little is known about the life of this man. He lived in
the first half of the 19th century in northern Italy. He published some works
for guitar solo and for flute and guitar with the two Milanese firms Ricordi
and Antonio Carulli.
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Luigi Brambilla (XIX cent.)
Luigi Brambilla was an Italian guitarist who lived in the first half
of the 19th century. He was an experienced singer who, in the first decades of
the century, lived in Vienna, where he published many collections of songs with
piano and guitar accompaniment.
We don't have any other biographical references.
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Francesco Calegari (1790?-?)
Francesco Calegari was a guitarist and composer who
flourished in the first half of the 19th century; little information is known
about his life. He was probably a native of Florence; he was from a family of
prominent musicians, of which the best known is Antonio Calegari. He
started his activity as a concert performer in Florence, becoming subsequently
much admired in the music circles in central Europe, mainly in Germany. He lived
for a long time in Leipzig and Braunschweig, and for a brief period in Paris as
well. His compositions were published by important firms such as Pleyel in
Paris, Hofmeister and Schwarz in Leipzig, Ricordi and Canti in Milan, and
Cipriani in Bologna and Florence. In about 1830 he entered in the publishing
industry, becoming a competitor of Cipriani in Bologna.
Of his production for guitar--about twenty works in all--we should mention the Variations
Op.18 and the Rondò Op.3 for guitar; the Polonese Op.16 for
violin and guitar; and several instrumental reductions on themes of operas.
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Carlo Canobbio (1741 -1822)
Carlo Canobbio was born in Venice in 1741. He was a
virtuoso violinist, well known at the end of the 1700's. In 1779 and 1800 he was
at the Opera of St. Petersburg as a chamber musician, violinist and composer.
After 1800 he came back to Italy, but soon chose to return to Russia, where he
died, most likely in 1822.
He wrote music for the ballet "Arianna and Bachus" (1789) and
"Piram and Tieba" (1791). He composed also two symphonies for
orchestra.
We still have other instrumental compositions and some sonatas for violin and
guitar, which show his acquaintance for the five string guitar.
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Carlo Casati (19th-century)
Carlo Casati was an Italian guitarist who lived in the
first half of the 19th century. He was presumably of north Italian origin; we
do not have information on his life. According to a local newspaper
of the time, which reports on one of his concerts in Genoa at the S. Agostino
Theater (June 28th, 1815), he played in duo with the Florentine violinist Lorenzo
Petrocchi.
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Antonio Castello (XIX cent.)
Antonio Castello was a guitar composer of early XIXth
century, who is virtually unknown. He lived presumably in Genoa during the first
decades of 1800. Several of his short works for two guitar, were published by Giovanni
Ricordi in Milan, around 1810: Quattro piccoli Duetti (editorial no.
83), Monferrine, Valtz, Contraddanze and Perigoldini (editorial
no. 105). We could not identify other titles of his works listed by other
sources of the period, in Italy or abroad.
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Wenceslas (Venceslao) Cerruti (XIX cent.)
Venceslao Cerruti had probably Turinese origins. He
flourised between the end of the XVIIIth and the first decades of the XIXth
century. He made his musical experiences in Turin, at about 1810, publishing his
first works for guitar beside the publishers Reycend Brothers. He moved
succesively to Paris, approximately at 1820, developing his musical activity as
composer. Some of his works for guitar were published in Paris, by the
publishers Dufaut-Dubois.
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Vincenzo Colla (XIX cent.)
Vincenzo Colla was born in Piacenza and flourished at
the end of the XVIIIth and early 19th century. He was organist and pianist,
chapel-master at Voghera.
He has left some chamber compositions with guitar, no opus number, that were
published in Italy in the second decade of 1800.
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Giovanni Comoglio (XIX cent.)
Giovanni Comoglio was born at the end of the XVIIIth
century, presumably in Turin. We don't know sufficient data on his life. He
perfomed concert activity in duo with the Florentine violinist Francesco
Petrocchi. In March 1809 appeared an announcement in the "Courier de
Turin" of one of their exhibition in Turin.
He moved presumably in France, at the second decade of 1800.
Comoglio composed many compositions for guitar solo, voice and guitar, violin
and guitar, all of them are excellent pieces of work. Some of his works were
published in the first years of the 19th century, by the Reycend Brothers
in Turin.
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Onorato Costa (XIX cent.)
He was a guitarist of whom we have very scarce biographical
news. He was probably of Italian origins. He settled in Vienna at about 1818 for
developing his concert activity.
We have documents about his soloists concert held at the Grosser Redoutensaal
at Vienna, by 27 February 1820, when he played music of Rossini and of his own.
In consideration of the dedicatees of his works known to us, it seems he have
had of the contacts with Romania.
His compositions for guitar were published in Vienna by the main publishing
Houses, since 1818 to 1832.
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Raimondo Cuboni (XIX cent.)
Little biographical information survives about Raimondo
Cuboni. He was a violinist from the environs of Modena who was also an
expert in guitar and presumably in clarinet. The name of Cuboni appears in the
list of the performers as first violinist of the orchestra of the "Theater
of the Most Illustrious Community" in Modena, at performances of the comedy
"La Clotilde" by Carlo Coccia, and of the semiserious melodrama
"Il Barone di Dolsheim (The Baron of Dolsheim)" by Giovanni
Pacini, in the years 1820 and 1824 respectively. In about 1824 Cuboni published
for the firm Cipriani of Florence a Cavatina for flute and guitar, drawn from
Gandini's opera "Erminia."
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Francesco De Salvo (XIX cent.)
Francesco De Salvo is a little-known musician and
composer for guitar.
He lived at the end of the XVIIIth and the beginning of the 19th centuries. We
know only the few compositions published by Giovanni Ricordi in about 1810: an
interesting Trio for violin, viola and guitar in which appear indications
of a good acquaintance with the guitar and with strings; two Sonatas; and
twelve Monferrine for guitar, all works without opus number.
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Pasquale Gagliani (XIX cent.)
Pasquale Gagliani (some source referred as Galliani),
was an author of Italian origin. He was in Varsaw in 1802 and in Vilno (today
Vilnius, Lituania) one year later. he then moved to Russia and there he
presumably remained there until his death.
He was an established teacher of voice and an expert in guitar.
It is not known he ever concertized there, but he was active as teacher and in
private recitals in the house of nobilty. His historical importance is chained
to the exportation of the 6-string guitar in Russia, of which Gagliani was among
the first teachers.
In Petersburg were published Six Sonatas for the 5-string guitar, some Studies
for (6-string) guitar in 1808 (that can be considered as his Methodo for
guitar) dedicated to the Czar's Alexander I wife, Elizabeth II, then 4
Sonatas for piano and (sei corde) guitar and also many romances.
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Enea Gardana (XIX cent.)
Enea Gardana was a guitarist and composer who lived in
the first half of the 19th century. About his life we have little information.
He was presumably born in northern Italy. He composed a large number of works
for guitar (at least 37), which are for the most part arrangements and
transcriptions of operatic airs, all containing technical difficulty for the
guitar. His works were published by Ricordi.
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Emilia Giuliani (1813-?)
The second-born daughter of Mauro Giuliani, Emilia Giuliani
was born in Vienna in 1813. She was a musical talent from childhood. She studied
guitar under the guidance of her father, with whom she performed in duo in
concerts.
She was educated by her father, being his favorite daughter. She married in Guglielmi;
then she followed her father to Naples, where she stayed near him to the moment
of his death. Her death date is not known. She published some works for guitar
for the publisher Ricordi.
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Michele Giuliani (1801-1867)
Michele Giuliani was Mauro Giuliani's illegitimate
child. He was born in 1801 at Barletta. He was a highly esteemed teacher of
voice and also a guitarist of fair talent.
Some of his works for guitar were published in Vienna and Milan. He lived mostly
in Vienna, but moved in 1828 to Paris, where he was a teacher at the Opera
Theater for some years. He died in 1867 in Paris.
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Angelo Lodi (XIX cent.)
Angelo Lodi was born at the end of the 1700's, probably
in Ferrara. He was active in northern Italy. He was an organist and
fortepianist, and published some works with the publisher Lorenzi in
Florence.
Only one work for guitar was published during the first years of the XIXth
century: a little Preludio, put out by Ricordi of Milan. The manuscript
of a Sonata for guitar and pianoforte from the first decades of XIXth
century is known; it has three movements. He had a brother who was a singer.
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Luigi Molino (XIX cent.)
Luigi Molino is one of the most important musician of
North Italy in his epoque. He was born in Turin from a family of musicians,
studied violin and harp, and performed in the Real Chappel orchestra. Many of
his handwritten works for 5-string and 6-string guitar, comprising some trios
for violin, viola and guitar, are preserved in many Italian libraries
(Biblioteca Nazionale and Accademia Filarmonica of Turin, Biblioteca Musicale at
Ostiglia, Conservatory of Milan). To our knowledge, during his life only one
work Arie variate op. 3 was published (Pollet, Paris, ~1803).
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Benedetto Razzetti (1792-?)
Benedetto Razzetti was born in 1792 in Turin. He
studied guitar and composition, then he moved abroad for a short period. He
published in Germany some works with the firm of André in Offenbach. He was
active for the most part of his life in Turin. He published works with several
local editors during the first half of 19th century. He also wrote a method for
guitar in 1832, published by Magrini. He lived for a long time, but the
date of his death is unknown.
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Marco Ressi (XIX cent.)
Composer and guitarist, presumably from Milan, who flourished
in the first half of the 19th century; little is known about his life. He had
training in bowed instruments and published some chamber works with guitar for
the Milanese publishers Bertuzzi and Ricordi in the first years of the 1800's.
Among these are: "Sei Monferrine sei valz / e / quattro contraddanze
inglesi" Op. 2 for two violins, cello (bass) and guitar (1817) and "Gran
Terzetto concertante" Op. 4 for violin, clarinet and guitar (presumably
lost).
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Giuseppe Ricca (1800-1866)
Giuseppe Ricca was born in 1800, presumably in Codogno,
a town near Milan. He was active in northern Italy; he balanced his activity of
guitar player with that of an officer of his city: he was a municipal employee
from 1821. By 1826 he had published only one work, with Ricordi: a set of
variations for guitar. At the civic library of Codogno, catalogued under the
name of his brother Luigi Ricca (1801-1878), there are some autograph
scores by Giuseppe for solo guitar and ensembles with guitar, as well as several
arrangements of opera arias. He died in Codogno in 1866.
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Giovanni Romersi (XIX cent.)
Giovanni Romersi was an author about whom we still know
very little. He was presumably a violinist from Milan who was active in that
city, probably as an orchestra member, in the first decades of the XIXth
century. He was well versed in the guitar and published for it a Duettino
brillante for violin and guitar with the publisher Scotti of Milan.
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Luigi Sagrini (1809-1840?)
Luigi Sagrini was born in Monza (near Milan) and was a
child prodigy in music generally and on guitar specifically. In 1824 he began
his concert activity in Europe as a duet partner with the young Napoleon Coste
in a series of concerts in France, then in London. In 1828 he was in Paris and
then again in London, where he performed in duo with the organist and fortepiano
player Wilhelm Neuland, with whom he had already performed in Paris. He was
surely in London until 1840, but after that year we have no record of his
musical activity, presumably indicating his absence from the music scene. He
composed a dozen works, all of which reflect his formidable virtuosity. For
guitar solo he composed: Variations Op. 4, Lemoine (Paris); Cinque
Divertimenti Op. 5, Lemoine (Paris); Variations brillantes sur un theme
allemand Op. 11, Schott (Paris, about 1835; a set of variations on the theme
"A Schüsserl und a Reindl," bearing a strong resemblance to
Giuliani's Op. 38 on the same theme); Variations brillantes sur un Air de
Rossini Op. 12, Schott (Paris, about 1835; this work's initial theme is
virtually identical to Giuliani's transcription of the quintet from Rossini's Il
Turco in Italia and his Rossiniana No. 3, Op. 121); Variations Op.
13 and a Raccolta Op. 15, both of the latter published by Schott (Mainz,
unknown year). For two guitars he composed: Duo, Op. 16; Op. 17,
Johanning (London); Fantasia Op. 27, Richault (Paris). He also composed
some works for voice and guitar (2 vol. of Raccolte op. 13). He died
sometime after 1840.
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Giovanni Toja (XIX century)
Giovanni Toja was a guitarist of amateur training who
lived in the first half of the 19th century; he was probably of Milanese
origin. We have no sure information about his life, except that he was an
engraver for the publisher Ricordi from June 21, 1830, to June 20, 1836. Then,
together with his wife Antonietta he was again with Ricordi, from
November 21, 1836, to November 20, 1842. He died presumably in Milan, sometime
after 1850.
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Pietro Tonassi (1800-1877)
Pietro Tonassi was born in Venice in 1800. An
accomplished contrapuntalist, he studied cello and was a director of military
bands. He cultivated at the same time an interest in the guitar, publishing
several works for the instrument. These were generally arrangements or
transcriptions of operatic airs, published by Ricordi around 1850. He died in
1877.
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Vinatier-Adami (XIX cent.)
The biography of Vinatier Adami is very uncertain: he
was probably from Piedmont, known as a Professor of clarinet and guitar in the
first years of the 1800's. His only known work is an aria "Bella fiamma di
gloria..." for guitar and voice, published by Festa (Turin). He was
probably from Piedmont, His only known work is an aria "Bella fiamma di
gloria d'onore/Musique de Portogallo/accompagnement de guitare par/Vinatier
Adami Professeur de clarinette et guitare" for guitar and voice, published
at about 1810 by Festa (Turin) and found at the private Library Dell'Ara
Moncalieri.
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Francesco Zucconi (XIX cent.)
Francesco Zucconi was a guitarist and mandolinist of
Italian origin, who was born in the second half of the 1700's and died in the
first decades of the 1800's. Other biographical information is unknown. He lived
mostly in Vienna, where he published his works for guitar from 1801 to 1805. He
was very likely an expert singer: some of his songs were written for voice with
guitar accompaniment, and were printed by the publisher Cappi in Vienna
in a music periodical. They comprise selected airs for voice and instrument.
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