Biographical notes
Giulio
Regondi was a principal figure in the history of the guitar in the Romantic
period. He was born probably in Geneva, in 1822 (some sources say 1824). His
father Giuseppe was of Milanese origin and his mother German. He started
learning the rudiments of music and guitar playing from his father when he was
still a child. He made his debut as a child prodigy in Lyons when he was eight
years old -- his family had moved to this city before going to Paris in April
1830. In Paris Regondi achieved immediate fame and soon was invited to perform
in the best concert halls, which led to more widespread recognition. In May 1831
he moved to London with his family. He was already a prominent concert virtuoso,
and his renown was strengthened by a continuous stream of positive criticism in
all the magazines of the time. In a few years his concert activity had taken him
to all parts of England. In 1834 he was in Dublin, where he performed in the
main concert centers. In about 1835 Regondi began to take an interest in a new
melodic wind instrument, the concertina, invented by Wheatstone.
With urging from his father, he became a skilled performer on this instrument
also. From then on he often presented himself in public both as guitarist and
concertina performer. In the years 1840-41 Regondi toured in Europe, in duo with
the cellist Joseph Ledel. He was first in Vienna, doing a series of ten
concerts, and subsequently performed in Munich, Frankfurt and Darmstadt. In
February 1841 he was in Prague. Then he visited Leipzig, where he performed in a
charity concert organized by Clara Schumann to establish a pension fund
for the city's orchestra members.
Returning to London, he continued his concert activity in duo with the pianist Dulken, from 1844 onwards. In October 1846 he held a solo concert in Dresden, and in November 1847 he performed in Liverpool. It seems certain that from 1850 on Regondi abandoned the guitar to devote himself to the concertina, for which he also published some works. His concert activity continued until 1860 in London; after this period he retired to private life. He died in London on 6 May, 1872.
A musician devoted to concertizing, he was only an occasional composer for the guitar. He left five works for solo guitar, which prove to be of great instrumental and artistic value, published by André Regondi. Giulio Regondi was the dedicatee of the Fantasia Op.46, “Souvenir d'amitié,“ for solo guitar by Fernando Sor.