MAURO GIULIANI
La Rose
Bridget Mermikides arranges and transcribes another super piece for you to play. As always, with full performance hints and tips.
In this issue, we are for the first time looking at the work of one of the founding figures of the classical guitar, Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829). Giuliani was born in Italy and after an initial musical training on the cello and violin, become fully dedicated to the guitar and would become one of the world’s most respected guitar virtuosos, interpreters and concert artists. Not only did he perform widely on the guitar, he was also a professional cellist and in 1813 performed cello in the first performance of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. His legacy endures in his compositions for guitar which he first started publishing in 1807, and which remain staple repertoire and learning material for classical guitarists well over 200 years later.
I’ve taken one of his Opus 46 Choix de Mes Fleurs Chéries (‘choosing my cherished flowers’) published by Artaria in the early-mid 19th century. This is a collection (sometimes referred to as a ‘bouquet’) of 10 solo guitar pieces depicting various flowers. It’s the
No 9 La Rose the I’ve arranged this issue.
It’s written in a late classical style with a gentle pace, with very schooled harmony, and ornamented with appropriately florid decorations. These semiquaver and demisemiquaver subdivisions, as well as grace notes (bar 8) and arpeggios with slurs (bar14) showcase Giuliani’s guitaristic virtuosity and
HIS COMPOSITIONS FOR GUITAR REMAIN STAPLE REPERTOIRE AND LEARNING MATERIAL WELL OVER 200 YEARS LATER
invention, and provide a technical challenge to the player. This is a delicate and masterful ‘miniature’ work, accessible but musically and technically sophisticated. I’ve supported your learning with tab captions, and engaging with this piece should provide both technical instruction as well as musical enjoyment.
NEXT MONTH Bridget arranges one of the UK’s favourite hymns, Lord Of All Hopefulness