Mauro Giuliani

An Italian guitarist who brought the guitar into Vienna's halls, balancing concertos and studies

Who he was

Mauro Giuliani (1781–1829) was born in Bisceglie, near Naples, and arrived in Vienna around 1806, soon becoming one of the city's most sought-after guitarists. During the Congress of Vienna in 1814 he played before the assembled diplomats and was appointed chamber virtuoso to Empress Marie Louise. He returned to Italy in 1819, settled finally in Naples, and died there in 1829. His daughter Emilia later became a guitarist and composer as well.

His place

He belongs to the late Classical period, when the guitar was moving from the salon into the concert hall. His concertos set the guitar in dialogue with an orchestra, and his studies systematised right-hand technique. Compared with Sor and Carcassi, he stays closer to the stage and the court, and his music has a clear Italian operatic flavour. He wrote both solos and duets with violin and flute, which shows he understood the instrument's place in different settings. His concertos follow the shape of the Classical concerto, with solo and orchestra taking turns.

What to hear

Listen first for the division of the right hand: in Op. 51 the thumb, index and middle fingers each have a job, and bass and melody must stay separate. These studies are only a phrase or two long, good for a few at a time each day. Then for dance rhythm: in the waltzes of Op. 90 the bass lands on the first beat while the chords yield on the second and third. Next, the trace of opera: Rossiniana No. 6, Op. 124, breaks Rossini's tunes into guitar figures, and the theme passes between high and low. Finally, salon proportion: the pieces of Op. 59 do not chase volume but clean colour and phrasing.

Key works

18 Progressive Studies Op. 51, 24 Studies
Three guitar concertos Op. 30, Op. 36, Op. 70
Six Rossinianas Op. 119–124, Le Papillon Op. 50

Influence

Giuliani carried the guitar into Vienna's concerts and courts and prepared the way for Sor and Carcassi. His studies remain basic texts for the classical guitar, while his concertos show that the instrument can carry a concerto's scale. The twentieth-century guitar revival brought his works back into print. He made the guitar not only an accompanist but a presence at the centre of the stage.

Listen in the library

18 Progressive Studies, Op.51C123:41《18首渐进练习曲》Op.51——吉他技术基础，听右手各指的独立（C1）Details12 Waltzes, Op.90C19:52《12首圆舞曲》Op.90——维也纳舞曲风格，听低音与和弦的节拍（C1）DetailsRossiniana No.6, Op.124C112:26《罗西尼娜》第六号 Op.124——用罗西尼歌剧主题写幻想曲，听旋律怎样分配（C1）DetailsRecueil de pièces faciles et agréables, Op.59C11:12《简易怡人小品集》Op.59——沙龙小曲，听分解和弦怎样托住旋律（C1）DetailsLe Papillon, Op.50C130:18《蝴蝶》Op.50——听轻盈的装饰音与短句怎样连成一片（C1）Details

All tracks from midicn-lib — inline badge is the license tier (C1 commercial / C2 non-commercial / C3 study only).

Sources

朱利安尼生平、维也纳宫廷职位与作品目录，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Giuliani, Mauro"；本文为原创表述
古典吉他从沙龙到音乐会的转变，参通行朱利安尼研究；实例说明为本站听辨提示

Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.

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