| [Here is a short article which I wrote for the Spanish
magazine Acordes in January 2004.]
Molino's Three Trios op. 4 for guitar, flute and viola [alto]
By Brian Jeffery
Out of the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars comes one of the most
beautiful of all works for guitar with other instruments: Francesco
Molino's set of Three Trios op. 4, for flute, viola and guitar. It
was in north Italy, in the very first years of the new century, after
1800. In Spain, Sor had performed his first seguidillas and what a
listener called a toccata on the guitar (probably the sonata which we
now call Grand Solo) in Barcelona around that year. Federico Moretti
(an Italian officer in the Spanish army with close connections to
Napoli which belonged to Spain at the time) had published in Spain in
1799 his Principios de la Guitarra. But just a few miles away along
the coast from Barcelona, probably in Genova or Torino, another great
guitarist was also composing: Francesco Molino, born in 1768 and
already a professional violinist. These wonderful trios are part of
his work from that time.
He dedicated them to the last doge of Genova. (What? Who was the doge
of Genova? Well, just as there was a doge of Venice, so there used to
be also a doge of Genova until the Napoleonic turmoil brought it to an
end.) That was Count Durazzo, a Genoese, who served Napoleon and in
fact died in Paris in 1809 and is buried in the Panthéon there. From
that date, 1809, we know that Molino's trios must date from that year
or before.
I was struck by the beauty of these trios back in 1986 and I published
them then in a facsimile with Tecla, but now I have made a modern
Tecla re-engraved edition which players can use who aren't necessarily
specialists in the period. It's available for downloading online at
www.hebeonline.com. I have provided a modern score as well which
makes everything easier.
The gem of the collection is trio op. 4 no. 1. It starts with an
allegro moderato. Then a beautiful catchy slow movement Romanza, so
haunting that I can't get it out of my head. And finally a fast
Rondo, allegretto scherzoso.
The second and third trios, op. 4 nos. 2 and 3, are shorter and Molino
himself said that they were like notturni, which was a short serenade
in 18th century Italy.
How about difficulty? Well, the good news is that even though these
three trios are major concert works, the guitar parts (and indeed the
flute and viola) are not at all difficult. Anyone with modest
abilities can play them. Here's an extract of a place where the
guitar has a chance to shine:
MUSIC EXAMPLE
The Portuguese guitarist Mário Carreira, with Olavo Barros playing
the
flute and Jean-Loup Lecomte playing the viola d'amore, played the trio
op. 4 no. 1 in a concert at Obidos in Portugal, and they just turned
the recorder on. [PHOTO] The result is a wonderful warm live
recording of this beautiful piece, and I have put it in mp3 on
www.hebeonline.com where it can be heard (follow the links to Molino).
The Romanza is free to everybody. Have a listen! It's also available
on CD by post from www.tecla.com - again, follow the links to Molino.
Brian Jeffery |