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Sämtliche Etüden mit erklärendem Text aus der Gitarre Schule 1843, II by Dionisio Aguado;

Selected Works for Guitar Solo by François de Fossa; Matanya Ophee; Ten Etudes for Guitar
by Giulio Regondi; John Holmquist; Trio concertant für 3 Gitarren, opus 29 by Antoine
L'Hoyer; Baldo Calamusa
Review by: Gerald Klickstein
Notes, Second Series, Vol. 48, No. 3 (Mar., 1992), pp. 1089-1091
Published by: Music Library Association
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Music Reviews 1089

Neumann, Richard J., ed. The Nico Castel One of them, the Castilian Spanish-Hebrew
Ladino Song Book. Cedarhurst, N.Y.: Tara philosopher from Toledo known as Ye-
Publications, 1981; 88 pp. huda Halevi (1085-1145), wrote in his
monumental literary work Kuzari: "And if
Ortega, Manuel L. Los hebreos en Mar- thyjoy lead thee so far as to sing and dance,
ruecos. Madrid: Ediciones Nuestra Raza, it becomes worship and a bond of union
1934; ix, 369 pp. between thee and the Divine influence."
Among their number, the Sephardic Jews
of Iberia included over many centuries a IRENE HESKES
host of notable historic and creative figures. Forest Hills, New York

Dionisio Aguado. Samtliche Etiiden mit erklirendem Text aus der Gi-
tarre Schule 1843, II. Vienna: Universal Edition (European American),
1988. [45 p. Universal Edition No. 18 951. $14.95.]
FranSois de Fossa. Selected Works for guitar solo. Edited by Matanya
Ophee. Columbus, Ohio: Editions Orphee, 1990. [Intro. material in
Eng., Fr., ix p.; score, pp. 2-37. ISBN 0-936186-38-0. PWYS-15.]
Giulio Regondi. Ten Etudes for Guitar. Edited by John Holmquist. Co-
lumbus, Ohio: Editions Orphee, 1990. [Intro. material, vi p.; facsim.,
p. 1; score, pp. 2-25. ISBN 0-936186-40-2. PWYS-17.]
Antoine L'Hoyer. Trio concertant fur 3 Gitarren, opus 29. Hrsg. von
Baldo Calamusa. Mainz: B. Schott's Sohne (European American), 1989.
[Vorwort in Ger., Eng., pp. 3-4; score, pp. 5-42; Revisionsbericht,
p. 43, and parts. GA 507. $25.00.]
The four guitarist-composers Dionisio appeared more recently from publishers
Aguado, Francois de Fossa, Giulio Re- such as Tecla, Berben, Uni6n Musical Es-
gondi, and Antoine L'Hoyer composed pafiola, and Ricordi. Numerous other pub-
during a period of passionate guitar activity lications have appeared containing varied
throughout Europe. This period, the first didactic compositions, exercises, and stud-
half of the nineteenth century, saw a flow- ies by Aguado, usually organized at the dis-
ering of new guitar publications, especially cretion of an editor with little indication
in London, Paris, and Vienna. Of the four, given to their original context. The Sdmtli-
Aguado (1784-1849) is today the best che Etiiden mit erklrendem Text ... II pre-
known guitarist from this era. His career sents, in their original order, the twenty-
developed slowly in his native Spain, but seven studies from part 3 of the Nuevo
upon arrival in Paris in 1825, he established metodo.The eminent editor Karl Scheit has
himself as a brilliant guitar virtuoso and reduced the original explanatory text to a
pedagogue. He left Paris in 1838 and re- minimum and revised the fingerings to
portedly devoted his final years to teaching. comply with modern technique. These are
The Nuevo metodopara guitarra (1843) is his excellent pedagogical works: focused in
crowning achievement in guitar pedagogy; their technical explorations while covering
his most significant previous publication a wide range of musical textures and tech-
was La escuela de guitarra (1825). Since the nical demands, they range from interme-
first modern six-string guitar method had diate to virtuosic pieces that are employed
appeared only in 1799 (Federico Moretti's in the training of nearly every modern gui-
Principios para tocar la guitarra de seis tarist. The full original explanatory ped-
ordenes), one cannot overstate the impor- agogical text of the Nuevo metodo,however,
tance of Aguado and his method. has fallen out of favor and is today obso-
The Nuevo metodohas been reprinted re- lete. Hence, the editor justifies this edition
peatedly by different publishers and has of these studies as a complement to any

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1090 NOTES, March 1992

guitar method since the obsolete and con- this edition is essential to any collection of
fusing text is omitted. If one is interested nineteenth-century guitar music.
only in the studies, this edition clearly rep- Giulio Regondi (1822-1872) is another
resents a more convenient and less expen- intriguing figure among guitarists. A child
sive alternative to purchasing the entire prodigy, his career began at the age of five,
method. Most libraries, teachers, and stu- and his extraordinary reviews were una-
dents, however, would probably prefer to bated until his retirement from the concert
own the complete Nuevo metodopara gui- stage. He spent the balance of his years in
tarra. London, arriving in 1831 and maintaining
Francois de Fossa (1775-1849) was one a base there until his death. Regondi was
of the most colorful figures in guitar his- a brilliant concertina player as well as a
tory. The erudite son of a jurist, he pur- guitarist, performing original works and
sued a swashbuckling military career (see arrangements of opera overtures and other
Matanya Ophee, Luigi Boccherini's Guitar themes. Many of the works are lost, so that
Quintets, New Evidence: To Which Is Added, the Ten Etudesfor Guitaralong with his Com-
for the First Time, a Reliable Biography of plete Worksfor Guitar (Heidelberg: Chan-
Franfois de Fossa [Boston: Editions Orphee, terelle, 1981) comprise all the known works
1981]). He became closely associated with associated with the composer. Three of the
Aguado and translated his Escuela de gui- ten etudes also appear in the Complete
tarra into French (1827), having written the Works, though they come from different
theoretical section of the book and receiv- sources. The publisher, Matanya Ophee,
ing a credit from Aguado therein. The gui- includes a fascinating introduction to the
tar music of Aguado and de Fossa, how- Ten Etudes in which the origin of the manu-
ever, is quite dissimilar. De Fossa prided script is detailed by some impressive sleuth-
himself on being a "modern" composer. ing. Lacking an autograph manuscript, the
His guitar compositions are highly original editor candidly suggests that the exact par-
and make bold use of the guitar with rich, entage of these etudes should be left open
symphonic textures, sudden dynamic and pending future investigation. Nonetheless,
tone changes, witty surprises, and harmon- these works bear an intimate kinship with
ics. other Regondi works and, as Ophee ex-
The SelectedWorksfor Guitar Solo, edited plains, they were widely associated with Re-
by Matanya Ophee, offers a varied and gondi into the first years of the twentieth
highly satisfying collection of de Fossa's century.
compositions. Included as an introduction The etudes are advanced works of great
are a condensed biography of the com- inventiveness and wide-ranging emotion.
poser and historical information about the Some, like Etudes 2, 3, and 7, are tightly
compositions. The collection begins with focused in their pedagogical intent and
the Premierefantaisie, op. 5, a lush and vig- rhythmic/thematic content. Others, such as
orous work in Bb major/G minor. In two Etudes 4, 5, and 6, are concert etudes of
parts-an Adagio followed by a Rondo: a more free-ranging variety, including dif-
Allegretto-it epitomizes the de Fossa style ferent themes and sections. All the etudes
with its rich chords, wide-ranging dynam- demonstrate Regondi's predilection for
ics, and bold harmonic language. Also in- richly voiced chords and an expanding har-
cluded are the delightful Quatre divertisse- monic language. Extended arpeggios are
ments, op. 13. All but the second of these often employed; so too are brisk scale pas-
are based on themes by Joseph Haydn, sages, which form parts of themes as well
each of which is precisely identified by the as transitions. While Etudes 4 and 6 show
editor in the introduction. The first and the most melodic side of Regondi, his dis-
third of the Divertissementsare the most tinctive melodic voice is found even in
technically accessible works in the collec- those etudes that explore the densest guitar
tion, the majority of the compositions being sonorities. It is a voice characteristic of the
quite demanding. Variations on "La Ty- nineteenth-century salon, but woven into
rolienne" and "Folies d'Espagne" in addi- clever, inventive guitar compositions re-
tion to a driving arrangement of the over- quiring considerable skill to perform well.
ture to Le Calife de Bagdad by Adrien These works comprise an important addi-
Boieldieu complete the Selected Works. An tion to the guitar etude repertoire.
important addition to the guitar literature, Virtually unknown today, Antoine

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Music Reviews 1091

L'Hoyer (1768-ca. 1836) published nu- great benefit, as are changes in texture.
merous works (37 are known at present) The melodic material is direct, diatonic,
for solo guitar and guitar in ensembles. and often accompanied a third below in the
The Trio concertant,op. 29, for three guitars second part.
was first published by Pleyel in Paris The editor, Baldo Calamusa, follows the
around 1800. In four movements, the piece original 1800 publication, indicating slight
calls for three standard-pitched guitars. changes in brackets. Extensive fingerings
During this time of intense guitar activity, have been added to the separate parts, but
terz guitars (smaller instruments tuned a thankfully, the score is kept unfingered.
minor-third higher) were often employed The first movement, an Allegro moderato
in combination with the standard instru- in G major in simple sonata form, is fol-
ment. For example, Anton Diabelli's Trio, lowed by a Menuetto, in E minor and a
op. 62, calls for two terz guitars and one Trio, in E major. The third movement,
standard guitar. (When playing a part for Adagio in D major, contains a florid ca-
terz guitar, modern guitarists usually em- denza for the first guitar that re-introduces
ploy a capo on the third fret of the stan- the elegant main theme. The final move-
dard instrument). Guitar trios of this pe- ment, Tema con variazioni in G major, is
riod customarily assign specific registers based on a simple, probably folk, melody.
and functions to each part, less often seek- Each part is allowed to dominate in at least
ing equality and interplay among players. one of the six variations, and decreasing
While the first guitar dominates in the note-values drive the work toward its con-
L'Hoyer work and the part is far more de- clusion. L'Hoyer's Trio concertant, a well-
manding than the others, there is a refresh- rounded work of irresistible charm, is a
ing amount of dialogue between parts, es- welcome addition to the concert repertoire
pecially in the first and last movements. for guitar trio.
The work, which is not suitable for begin-
ning guitarists, is seductively playful and GERALD KLICKSTEIN
charming. Dynamic contrast is used to Universityof Texas at San Antonio

ORCHESTRALAND ENSEMBLEMUSIC

Irving Fine. Toccata Concertante for Boosey and Hawkes, which publishes vir-
orchestra. New York: Joclem Music tually all of Irving Fine's instrumental mu-
sic and much of his vocal work, now makes
(Boosey & Hawkes), 1990 [c1978].
three more of the composer's scores avail-
[Full score, 79 p.; acid-free paper. FSB able: the Toccata Concertantefor orchestra
500. $50.00; duration: ca. 10'. Perfor-
mance materials available from Boosey (1947); Serious Song: A Lament for string
orchestra (1955); and One, Two, Buckle My
& Hawkes Rental Library.] Shoe for oboe, clarinet, violin, and cello
(1959). Serious Song has been published be-
Irving Fine. Serious Song: A Lament fore (this Boosey edition, in fact, is simply
for string orchestra (1955). New York: a photocopy of the Broude Brothers en-
Joclem Music (Boosey & Hawkes), graving); but this is the first time that either
1989 [c1959]. [Score, 14 p.; acid-free the Toccata Concertanteor One, Two, Buckle
paper. HPS 1177. $8.50; duration: My Shoe has been in print.
9'15"-9'45". Performance materials Irving Fine (1914-1962) was represen-
available from Boosey & Hawkes tative of composers of his generation. He
Rental Library.] grew up in the shadow of the American
Mighty Five: Aaron Copland, Roger Ses-
sions, Virgil Thomson, Roy Harris, and
Irving Fine. One, Two, Buckle My Walter Piston. In the 1940s, he worked in
Shoe for oboe, clarinet, violin, and
a neoclassical idiom, and in the 1950s, he
cello (1959). New York: Joclem Music made some use of twelve-tone technique.
(Boosey & Hawkes), 1990. [Score, 15 In the sixties and seventies, he conceivably
p., and parts; acid-free paper. FIN 26. might have explored the prepared piano,
$20.00; duration: ca. 5'.] as did his friend Arthur Berger; or elec-

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