TECLA EDITIONS

Alfred Cottin:

Ballade du Fou

for three guitars

With a preface by Brian Jeffery

Alfred Cottin (1863-1923) is perhaps best known today as the guitarist to whom Tárrega dedicated "Recuerdos de la Alhambra". He was a Parisian, active in the musical life of that city. The "Ballade du Fou" ("Ballad of the madman, or fool") is an interesting, lively, and most unusual piece for three guitars, carefully structured, which was probably composed and first published in about 1900 or shortly after.   Pujol calls it preeminent among Cottin’s works. No guitar ensemble should be without it. Reprint of the original edition. Score only (3 pages); parts are not provided. But you can purchase three copies, one to be used by each guitar.

Mr. Andreas Stevens tells me that it was published by the Freie Vereinigung in October 1905, and that would probably have been taken from an earlier French publication.

(Note: this is simple A4 sheet music, without cover).

The Cottin page.

Cottin is mentioned in an article: Jaime Bosch (1826-1895) and the guitar in Paris at the end of the 19th century.