Rossiniana No. 1, for guitar, Op. 119
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Rossiniana No. 1, for guitar, Op. 119
- Date: ca. 1820
- Composer: Mauro Giuliani
- Period: Classical (1750-1819)
Review
During an extended stay in Rome when guitarist/composer Mauro Giuliani was having great difficulty finding an audience and making ends meet, he decided to ingratiate himself with the public and one particular, powerful composer by writing a series of guitar potpourris of themes by Gioacchino Rossini. Giuliani produced six of these sets, each called Rossiniana, published as Opp. 119-124. The sources of the tunes in the first Rossiniana, Op. 119, are so obscure that in some cases Giuliani may have simply been writing in the style of Rossini (this is not such a problem with the later works in the series). The piece begins with a melancholy and largely chordal Andantino introduction. The tension gradually rises, occasionally through increased dynamics but mainly through worrying, repetitive little melodic cells, a favorite Rossini technique. A brief, desolate recitative-like passage leads to a minor-mode aria (Andante grazioso) that in its second half displays some unexpected humor, which serves as the basis of a series of variations. Just as the musical texture becomes particularly intricate, the variations give way to a rather aimless Maestoso section. (In his famous 1974 recording, Julian Bream replaced this section with an excerpt from the second Rossiniana, which so outraged guitarist Angel Romero that he insisted that his label, EMI, immediately allow him to record the work intact.) The final Allegro vivace section is a sequence of crescendos, each of which begins playfully and march-like and rises to great excitement -- a trademark effect that can be found in almost every Rossini overture. ~ James Reel, RoviAlbums with Complete Performances of the Work
| Rossini's Birthday Party | |
| Rossiniana No. 2, for guitar, Op. 120 |
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