SCG:[AG_post] Re: Respighi [variations for guitar discovery]

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Re: Respighi [variations for guitar discovery]

To: <cguitar-list@xxxxxxxxxx>

Subject: Re: Respighi [variations for guitar discovery]

From: "winter" <winter@xxxxxxxx>

Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 04:15:44 +0200

-----Messaggio originale----- Data: martedì 7 aprile 1998 1.10 Subject: Re: Respighi [variations for guitar discovery] >You Wrote: >Maestro, >Can you tell us more about the Respighi piece? Who was it written for? How did >you find it? What is it like? Are the variations on an original theme? It is a succession of 12 short pieces (about 7 minutes), beginning with a four voice corale in C major and then going one with flat keys from F major-D minor to Dflat major-Bflat minor. As far as I know the theme is original. They are hardly recognizable as Variations in a strict sense of the world, they are more metamorphosis of the same basic idea: being the piece on manuscript without a title, Variations seemed the less unproper one. I found it by mere casuality. It found me. Five years ago, I was faced with the papers of the archiv of Luigi Mozzani (1869-1943), the Italian guitarist-composer and luthier, in view of preparing a new edition of his works - then issued by Bèrben under the title "Opere per chitarra", with a long introductory study of mine. These papers remained for decades - after 1943 - in the hands of Mozzani's heirs (among them a kind lady, Carmen Lenzi Mozzani, who was a guitarist and a teacher in a Conservatory), then they were gifted to the Municipality Library of Cento, a small, graceful town near Ferrara, where Mozzani lived from 1909 to 1929. I was invited by this Library to give a lecture about Mozzani just when I had decided to re-publish the maestro's composition and some years before I had composed a "Passacaglia - Omaggio a Ottorino Respighi", included in the 3rd book of my Studies!!! No more than a few seconds passed between my first look to the small mountain of Mozzani's papers and my falling upon those four page manuscript, signed "Respighi" twice - at the top and at the end of the music - and clearly of his own handwriting - a famous handwriting indeed! I did not take its publication immediately - it was too close to the publication of José's Sonata, and I did not want to appear as a maker of scoops. Anyway, I allowed the news to filter, because in my foreword of Mozzani, I announced - albeit cautiously - that the Respighi's piece was among those papers: but, as you know, few people read forewords and the Library did not receive any inquire. Now, that the news of the discovery has been given by music press in Italy, it is a hurricane... Anyway, the piece was surely written for Mozzani - or at least given to him for having suggestions and maybe also an editing. The two lived in the same town, Bologna, from 1900 to 1909 (when Mozzani left and moved to Cento), and Respighi left for Rome on 1913. Being the four pages without a letter of accompaniement, and showing no fold, it is reasonable to guess that the piece was given to Mozzani by hands not later than 1909: it is then the second piece of guitar music of this century composed by a non guitarist - the first is the "Mozartiana" composed by Eduardo Fabini (a violinist-composer, partner of Mangoré in a duo of violin and guitar) on 1903, according to Pujol. It is a delightful piece of music, with a marked neo-baroque character, but also with some Schumann-like moments. It is quite a Respighi piece, I like it and I hope that it will be welcomed by all the guitarists in the world. Incidentally, it will not be published by Bèrben, but by Ricordi: they own all the rights of the Respighi estate, and I had to ask for a permission by Bèrben in order to prepare the edition for another publisher. The publication should take place within the current Spring. ><and will > ><be published with the facsimile of the manuscript and the edited text: I > ><think that there are no better solution nowadays.> >I agree completely. This is the most sensitive and responsible approach. Mark Delpriora >This will not spare me some blame - you may rest assured. Angelo Gilardino Composer and editor Artistic director of the "Andrés Segovia" Foundation of Spain 13100 Vercelli Italia via Failla, 7 tel. e fax * 161 255346 email <winter@net4u.it>

Angelo Gilardino Net Postings 1998-2000

Re: Respighi [variations for guitar discovery]