GIULIANI : Studi da Esercizio per la Guitarra Op48 : 18 pieces: Nos.1,2,3,5 ( two versions) ,6,8,9,10,13,14,15,16,18,19,21,22,and 23. ;Studi da Le Papillon Op50 :20 pieces : 1,2, 4, 5, 6,9, 10, 12,13,15,16,17, 18, 21, 23, 24,25, 26,28,and 31; Studi da Lecons Progressifs Op51 ; 10 pieces , Nos 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 13, 15, 16, and 17; Six Preludi Op83, Nos 4 and 5;Studi da Etudes Op100, Nos 11, 12, and 13; Studi da 24 Prime Lezioni Progressive Op139 Nos 3, 4, 5, and 6; Giulianate Op148, Nos 6 ( two versions) and 8; Quatro Variazioni e Finale Op145.
Lucio Matarazzo
Niccolo: NIC1011
Mauro Giuliani was of course one of the leading player/composers in the first part of the 19th Century and was a prolific composer, writing 150 numbered Opuses, and many unnumbered ones, and as such he was an important writer of the Study as well as many sets of Variations, and here Lucio Matarazzo has produced a CD with no less than 61 tracks, although that does tell you how long a lot of these pieces actually. His playing is superb throughout and the recording is wonderfully clear and involving, but I would suggest that you might find it rather difficult to take all these in, in one listen, brilliant though it all is.
As for the music, it is usually fast, with the players fingers flying around non – stop, and essentially provide a constant test of the player’s technique. Now, whether that makes for an interesting listening exercise would no doubt divide any listeners, for unlike Fernando Sor, whose studies are more often than not, beautiful pieces of music in their own right, Giuliani’s are often vacuous, with lots of flashy parts, with arpeggios flying around the fingerboard but with little or no musical development, or indeed a melody anywhere to be found. Yes, there are exceptions, but the huge majority unfortunately falls into that heading.
That is not however to take anything away from Matarazzo whose technique is phenomenal throughout and who has now recorded three CDs of mainly Studies from writers from the 19th century, the others being Legnani, and Carcassi and so this CD can be seen as one of a set that is covering some of the most important composers of Studies from that period.
So, as a tool for seeing exactly how that music you have in front of you, really ought to sound, this CD is indispensable, but beware if this appears to be a light listen, for it is most definitely not one of those, and the shortness of the huge majority of the tracks might make it not quite the most satisfying listen that you would want it to be , exceptional though the playing is .
Chris Dumigan
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