RES10182 Guitar & J Gary Branch ames Akers Classical V for ienna Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841) Classical 1. Nocturne No. 1 [4:33] Music for Guitar & Piano Anton Diabelli (1781-1858) Sonata for the Piano Forte and Guitar, Op. 71 2. Allegro moderato [5:42] 3. Menuetto & Trio [4:48] James Akers romantic guitar 4. Polonaise [3:15]

Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870) Gary Branch fortepiano 5. Fantasia on ‘Potem Mitzwo!’ [6:12]

Ferdinando Carulli 6. Nocturne No. 2 [3:45]

Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) Sonata Brillante, Op. 15 7. Allegro [6:06] 8. Adagio [4:59]

Mauro Giuliani Variations on ‘Nel cor più non mi sento’ & Polonaise 9. Introduzione [1:57] 10. Variations [7:44] 11. Polonaise [9:14] About James Akers: Ferdinando Carulli ‘It’s a small soundscape, but when played with such beauty, 12. Variations on Themes taste and subtlety, an utterly enchanting one.’ by Rossini [9:24] BBC Music Magazine

Total playing time [67:47] Classical Vienna: Music for Guitar resounded to more comforting sounds. Music and Fortepiano publishers poured out vast quantities of works written by skilled craftsmen composers intent By the early-nineteenth century, long term on quieting, not arousing, the latent and societal changes in Europe had created a unseemly passions of the European elite. prosperous and expanding middle class. The values and culture of this group, mainly The market for music lessons, sheet music concerned with aspiration and self- and performances provided gainful improvement, quickly became established, employment for the composers featured on and remained reasonably consistent this recording, many of whom were able to thereafter. Their economic power and lead bourgeois lifestyles far removed from political influence resulted in an explosion the starving artist archetype of romantic of art and literature, theatres and galleries, mythology. A defining figure of this type was public works and private devotions to the Anton Diabelli (1781-1858). Suffering the cult of personal fulfilment. historical indignity of being most famous for someone else’s composition – namely, Music assumed a central role in this world Beethoven’s monumental ‘Diabelli’ Variations, and instrument builders, publishers and – Diabelli originally trained to be a priest but musicians combined to expand a burgeoning was forced into a change of career when his industry. Many middle class homes were monastery was closed. He moved to Vienna, furnished with musical instruments and taught music and in 1821 he founded a each generation provided with musical publishing company with a colleague, Pietro training thus enabling them to entertain Cappi. Cappi and Diabelli achieved huge and edify family and friends. success publishing arrangements of popular pieces. Material comfort, however, can inculcate a comfortable conservatism and the market for Diabelli was also a gifted composer whose challenging works, then as now, was limited, output ranged from operetta to masses with most preferring the comfortably familiar. including guitar solos – the genre in which Whilst music historians have concentrated he was most prolific. His Sonata for the on larger forms and figures – on legendary Piano Forte and Guitar, Op. 71, is a composers of genius like Mozart, Beethoven, substantial work of three sections: a lively Schubert, the homes of the bourgeoisie and dramatic sonata form opening; a graceful cantabile minuet, highlighting the angelic The presence of Giuliani in Vienna must have chords from the piano before a series of four and emotion. qualities of the piano, juxtaposed with an accounted for some of the success enjoyed variations explore different facets of the earthy guitar dominated trio and finishing by Diabelli’s publishing firm. Upon his arrival melody and characteristics of the instruments. As the popularity of the guitar increased with the charming rusticity of a ‘Polonaise’. in Austria, from Barletta in south Italy in Giuliani follows the variations with a lively throughout Europe, the leading performers Diabelli gives most of the drama and content around 1806, Giuliani inspired an enthusiasm polonaise, a popular dance form of the time, of the day found themselves much in demand. to the piano, with the guitar providing for the guitar amongst the Viennese that was that lets loose the guitar through a series Some, like Fernando Sor, exiled from his accompaniment and occasionally breaking described favourably by a contemporary of episodes demonstrating the variety of homeland by the violent politics of the time, out with a melodic flourish or counter- writer (Wilhelm Klingenbrummer): ‘He virtuosic techniques at Giuliani’s disposal. travelled as far afield as London and Moscow melody. The piece explores a range of [Giuliani] has provided us with a series of never truly settling. Others, during their moods and demonstrates Diabelli’s skill charming compositions and through his Giuliani’s Sonata Brillante, Op. 15, is travels, found commodious respite in one and depth as a composer. teaching he has formed for us so many perhaps his best-known work. Whilst on place and decided to remain. outstanding amateurs, that there could occasion Giuliani’s music tends towards Along with light music, Diabelli also published scarcely be another place where authentic the facile, this piece shows his melodic One such was Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841). weightier works. He was the first to print guitar playing is so widely practiced as here gift, dramatic intuition and depth of Born in Naples he began his musical studies the music of Schubert and purchased the in our Vienna.’ understanding of the guitar honed to with the ‘cello before turning his attention to complete estate after the young composer’s perfection. The first movement begins the guitar. Following a highly successful tour premature death. However, Diabelli’s ‘Nel cor più non mi sento’, is an aria from with a gently undulating ostinato before of Paris, he decided to re-locate there and business partner, Cappi, seems to have had Giovanni Paisiello’s 1788 opera La Molinara. taking off to explore a broad range of became a sought after guitar teacher and a penchant for offending the firm’s It proved a popular choice for variations, moods and emotions. Though in traditional later publisher of guitar music. composers with the paucity of his with many composers including Beethoven, sonata form, the piece is unhampered payments. He argued with Schubert and Hummel, Paganini and (Giuliani’s guitarist by convention and allows Giuliani’s Carulli was a hugely prolific composer and, also with Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829), the composer contemporary) Fernando Sor, all imagination to venture where it will, while given the amount he wrote, the quality of composer of another work on this recording. employing it. Giuliani also composed maintaining structural integrity. It proves his music is remarkably consistent. Much of A letter survives from Giuliani to Messrs Variations on Nel cor più non mi sento and, what can be achieved by a solo instrument his simpler music for students has been Cappi and Diabelli excoriating the pair for coupled with a Polonaise, they were in the hands of a gifted composer. The continuously in use for two hundred years their business dealings. Giuliani writes, published in two versions: first, in 1815, for second movement is a touchingly beautiful and this, coupled with the fact that his more ‘I am not surprised that Sigr, Cappi wants string quartet and guitar and then, in 1823, pastorale. Crying out for orchestration, it advanced music is less well-known and out to acquire my works at an un-warranted the arrangement for piano and guitar, heard could almost have been written by of print has meant his work has been price […] but I am astounded at Signor on this recording. The piece begins with an Beethoven himself, with its wistful nostalgic unjustly undervalued in modern times. Diabelli, who, as a composer [...] could introduction allowing Giuliani, released from mood, and occasional flashes of darkening ever have permitted his associate to the limitations of the guitar, to flex his angst. It ends, movingly, with a return to The three pieces by Carulli on this recording degrade the profession so wickedly.’ compositional muscles. The theme is then the opening theme of the first movement – are all delightful compositions. Perhaps written played on the guitar with accompanying an act of formal genius satisfying reason in conjunction with his son, the pianist and singer Gustavo Carulli, they manage to On this recording I used two guitars, an original complicated , which gives a more in composing music for a fortepiano and balance the instruments and highlight each 1820s instrument by Saumier for the Carulli immediate sound, but is less able to develop Classical guitar duo as opposed to a standard in an idiomatic way. His Variations on pieces and Giuliani and Diabelli sonatas and the tonal power in the louder dynamics. guitar duo, is that the fortepiano is able to Themes of Rossini, takes a gentle melody, a 2015 Panormo replica by James Cole for This would ultimately mean that the provide greater pitch and dynamic ranges ‘Oh, matutino albori’ from La Donna del the Giuliani Variations and Polonaise. fortepiano would be sidelined by the without overpowering the guitar. This Lago subjecting it to a series of variations, pianoforte through it’s ability to provide combination presents composers of the before a lively setting of another Rossini © 2017 James Akers the power required for concert halls and period with more dramatic, tonal and melody from Della Gazza Ladra (The Thieving virtuosic pianists of the later-nineteenth ultimately creative possibilities in this Magpie) leads into an extended ending, of It would be considered by many musicians century. However, one important feature ensemble genre. the type beloved of early-nineteenth-century today that a guitar and piano duo is a very of the Viennese is the use of composers. In which the audience is held in tricky combination, due to such a vast additional tonal devices operated by The fortepiano of 1826 used in suspense, unsure when the last chord will difference in the dynamic and tonal pedals or knee levers found in this recording represents one of the finest finally be struck. The two Nocturnes are qualities of each instrument. However, eighteenth-century instruments. All fortepiano makers in Vienna and has both charming pieces full of character and back in the early-nineteenth century it was have in common the use of a una corda and moderator pedals. Conrad melodic invention that demonstrate the quite different, especially regarding the and an una/duo corda Graf (1782-1851) became one of the most joie de vivre of Carulli at his best. Viennese fortepiano pianos that were pedal (the keyboard shift to the right, to successful and prolific makers of these popular in southern, eastern and central hit one or two strings instead of three instruments in the first half of the Carulli’s music, along with pieces by Giuliani Europe. These instruments were very much strings). However, early Viennese nineteenth century. Having purchased a and Diabelli, has frequently been criticised based on the design and build qualities of fortepianos do not always have the disused dancehall in 1825, known as for a lack of originality and profundity. the fortepiano makers of Vienna. una/duo corda pedal, but instead they Mondscheinhaus (Moonlight House), he Many performers, critics and historians of have another pedal or knee lever to make converted it to a workshop to build his guitar music have argued that if only a The fortepiano was in many ways a very the instrument quieter called the instruments, but also provided a concert hall ‘great’ composer had composed for the different instrument to the pianoforte moderator. The moderator places a piece and practice rooms. Many of the finest instrument, then the repertoire would instruments built in London, Paris, western of cloth between the hammers and the pianists of this period including Frédéric have been greatly enriched. This view, and northern Europe. It would be the string to create a completely different Chopin aged eighteen (having left Poland however, misses the point of much of the pianoforte instruments designed to become tonal quality and a quieter dynamic range. and before settling in Paris), the great young music included on this recording. Carulli, ever more powerful in tone which would The combination of both the una/duo female pianist Clara Wieck (later to become Giuliani and Diabelli were not trying to evolve into the pianos we know today. The corda and moderator pedals built into ) and the formidable virtuoso be original. When the style in which construction of the Viennese fortepiano was the nineteenth-century fortepianos can were all well acquainted with they composed is accepted on its own created in such a way as to produce a large reduce the dynamic range to a very subtle, Mondscheinhaus. It is worth noting that merits, within the confines of the aesthetic range of tonal variety, but not necessarily sensitive and intimate quality, ideal for Liszt often had more than one piano on aims it pursues, their music achieves its greater ‘forte’ dynamic ranges. The duo playing with the Classical guitar of stage during a concert, so that when he end with wit, finesse and discernment. fortepiano uses a more direct, less the period. The advantage at this time broke one instrument he could move to the next, but it was noted that the Conrad Acknowledgements Graf instruments were so well constructed that Liszt did not even2 break a single string Thanks are due to Richard and Katrina Burnett 5 during a recital! and all the staff of House and 3 Musical Museum for their generous assistance13 © 2017 Gary Branch in the recording of this album, providing both the recording location and fortepiano. 1 12 Technical Information Thanks are also due to Steven Devine and Edmund Pickering. Conrad Graf fortepiano of 1826 from the 7 Richard Burnett Heritage Collection 11 Compass: CC-f4 Pedals Keyboard shift to duo corda, bassoon (cembalo), moderator, sustain 9 Build No.: OPUS 988 written in graphite 8 4 on the soundboard Dimensions in centimetres: length 242.5, 6 width 120.5, case height 31.5 Decoration: Mahogany veneer with gilt-brass adornments in the well 10 James Akers Hanover Band, Sounds Baroque and the Gary Branch (fortepiano) artists including Neil Jenkins (tenor), Steven Dunedin Consort. Devine (early keyboard specialist), Mark James Akers was born in Scotland and began Gary Branch studied piano at Trinity College Milhofer (tenor), Kate Semmens (soprano) playing guitar at the age of ten, later studying As a continuo player James has worked for of Music, London with Anthony Peebles and Kathleen Kemler (American flutist). He with Robert Mackillop at Napier University, major opera companies, English National and Christine Croshaw graduating with a is also Musical Director of the John Kerr Edinburgh. Whilst at Napier he turned his Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North GTCL Honours degree and Postgraduate Award for English Song, a charity founded attentions to playing the lute, progressing and Innsbruck Festival Opera and orchestras Performance Certificate. He won numerous in 2005 to promote performance of the to the Royal College of Music and study with and chamber groups including The Scottish, prizes including The Elsa and Leonard Cross English Song repertoire. It also provides Jakob Lindberg. Adding theorbo to his Irish and English Chamber Orchestras, Memorial Trust Scholarship for a bursary prizes for young singers and expanding instrument collection, James the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto accompanists who take an interest in the continued his studies at Trinity College of The Scottish Ensemble, and ventured No. 22. This award enabled him to continue genre. Music with Jacob Heringman and David Miller into other styles with Damon Albarn. his studies in Amsterdam with Jan Wijn, with additional lessons and advice from Paul Head of Keyboard at the Sweelinck Broadcasts include BBC local radio and O’Dette and Elizabeth Kenny. Having settled James has performed on numerous recordings Conservatoire. BBC Television’s Great Railway Journeys on the period instrument path James – his debut solo recording Thesaurus series at Finchcocks House, broadcast in continued accumulating instruments and Harmonicus was released in 2012; a few film In Amsterdam, Gary became very interested January 2016 and focusing on Broadwood exploring the music of the sixteenth to soundtracks; several theatrical stages, in early pianos and their link to the great and Sons square pianos and their link to nineteenth centuries. including Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Classical and Romantic composers. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. the Barbican, and broadcast for the BBC, Returning to England he discovered Following a Junior Fellowship at Trinity College France Musique and RTE Lyric, Ireland. Finchcocks Musical Museum of early of Music James began pursuing a varied keyboard instruments. Since 2004 Gary professional career. As a soloist he has Although mostly concentrating on performing has become closely involved with performed mostly in the UK and Scandinavia and teaching, James has occasionally indulged Finchcocks – demonstrating, performing giving recitals for The Yorke Music Trust, in research, exploring the domestic music and workshop teaching. In 2010 Gary was Ullapool Guitar Festival, Classical Guitar making of Samuel Pepys and his ‘musical appointed Educational Co-ordinator until Retreat, Exeter Guitar Festival and the secretary’ Cesare Morelli, the polyphony of the museum closed in 2015. He is presently Copenhagen Renaissance Music Festival. Scottish Renaissance composer David Peebles connected to the Richard Burnett Heritage and, most recently, how Scottish melodies Collection and the Finchcocks Charity for He has accompanied leading singers including were used by European guitarist composers early keyboard restoration, performance Dame Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Michael at the beginning of the nineteenth century. and education. Chance, Miriam Allan, and Sam Bowden and James is a lecturer in early plucked strings with ensembles such as I Fagiolini, Ex Cathedra, at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Gary has performed widely, both the UK and Fretwork, The Parley of Instruments, The abroad including with many distinguished www.jamieakers.com More titles from Resonus Classics The Soldier’s Return: Guitar Music inspired by Scotland James Akers (romantic guitar) RES10165

‘Akers elicits a consistently beautiful tone from his guitars, closely but warmly and sympathetically captured by the Resonus recording.’ Classical Ear

Songs of Love, War & Melancholy: Operatic Fantastias by Jacques-François Gallay Lucy Crowe (soprano) Anneke Scott (natural horn) Steven Devine (piano) RES10153

‘Anneke’s playing is dazzling, flawless and presented with such panache and musicianship.’ Daily Gazette

© 2017 Resonus Limited è 2017 Resonus Limited Recorded at Finchocks House & Musical Museum, Kent, on 1-3 November 2015 Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks Conrad Graf piano (1826) prepared & maintained by Edmund Pickering Session & instrument photography © Resonus Limited Recorded at 24-bit/96kHz resolution (DDD) Cover image: Detail from the Conrad Graf pianoforte (1826) © Resonus Limited

RESONUS LIMITED – UK

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