1
Mauro Giuliani and his
Sonata Eroica, Op. 150.
by
Ivar Nicholas I. Fojas
DMA Guitar
MUS 532, Survey of classical music
2
Jay Ro Bibliography
A. Literature
Glise, Anthony. Complete Sonatas of Sor, Giuliani, & Diabelli. Missouri:
Melbay, 1998.
Anthony Glise is the author of the leading book in guitar pedagogy and
technique, Classical Guitar Pedagogy. With this publication he achieves a
monumental task of collecting the most important Sonatas of the guitar’s
golden age in one collection. He presents an urtext edition of all the
original versions for each sonata with additional cadenzas by Aguado,
Giuliani, Diabelli and contemporary experts.
Heck, Dr. Thomas. Mauro Giuliani: Virtuoso Guitarist and Composer,
Columbus: Editions Orphee, 1995.
“This is the culmination of 25 years of further research by Dr. Heck
following his monumental dissertation on Giuliani…Highly informative,
readable and recommended for any guitarist who plays 19th-century
music.”1
_______________. “The Birth of the Classical Guitar and its Cultivation in
Vienna, Reflected in the Career and Composition of Mauro Giuliani.” PhD
diss. Yale University, 1970.
“A monument research by the father of 19th-century guitar research,
Thomas Heck. Highly readable in spite of the academic intent.” 2
1
Ibid. 21
2
Glise. Complete Sonatas. 20
3
Jeffrey, Brian. Introductions and indexes by Mauro Giuliani. South Wales:
Tecla Editions, 1988.
B. Music Score
Giuliani, Mauro. Gran Sonata Eroica Op, 150. Milano: Ricordi, ca 1840.
_____________. Gran Sonata Eroica Op, 150. ed. Vicente Avila. Mainz:
Schott’s Sons.1928
_____________. Gran Sonata Eroica Op, 150. ed. Girolamo Gilardi. Ancona:
Edizioni Berben, 1973.
_____________. Gran Sonata Eroica Op, 150: urtext. ed. Anthony Glise
Missouri: Melbay, 1998
C. Websites
Thomas F. Heck. "Giuliani, Mauro." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music
Online. Oxford University Press, accessed December 10,
2012,http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/su
bscriber/article/grove/music/11230
4
Brief biography of Mauro Giuliani:
Born on July 27, 1781, the Italian guitarist cellist and composer would be heralded
among the greatest composer and performer for the guitar.
Giuliani was first trained on the cello which he never gave up through the course of his
career. But it was in the guitar that he found he true voice. He married Maria Giuseppe
del Monaco and had one son. After his training in counterpoint, cello and the guitar he
moved alone to Vienna where he had a daughter out of wedlock.
In Vienna, 1807, he began to publish compositions in the classical style. He toured all
over Europe adding to his fame and acclaim as virtuoso musician.
Giuliani would soon help give the guitar a voice in the world of the classical tradition. In
Vienna he travels in the same circle as Beethoven and Rossini. He would perform with
Johann Hummel, Ignaz Moscheles, Joseph Mayseder and Joseph Merk. He would never
leave the cello and on December 8, 1813 he would play in Beethoven’s first performance
of the Seventh Symphony as a cellist.
He returned to Italy in 1819 where he would spend time in Trieste, Venice and Rome. He
would bring with him his daughter Emilia along with his illegitimate daughter Maria.
Emilia would soon be proficient on the guitar and would perform duets with her father. In
1826 Giuliani performs for the court of Francesco I. By 1827 Giuliani’s health was
failing leading to his death on May 8 1829.
5
The Editions:
The first edition was printed eleven years after the composer’s death by Ricordi. The
Opus number was assigned by the publisher and may not have reflected the intentions of
the composer. There was question regarding the authenticity of this work as a Giuliani
work. However in 1995, Dr. Thomas Heck settled the controversy in his discovery of a
letter from Giuliani written to his publisher Ricordi, mentioning the Eroica by name.
A second edition published by Schott’s Sons now Schott editions, this was edited and
fingered by Vicente Avila in 1926. A third edition soon followed by the Italian Girolamo
Gilardi in 1973 published by Berben. In 1998, guitar virtuoso, scholar and composer
Anthony Glise published through Melbay the urtext editions. This corrects any errors in
printing from the previous edition as well as provides valuable information regarding the
music and the composer.
The Sonata form and Giuliani:
The Golden age of the guitar occurred in the late classical and early romantic period in
Vienna and Paris. The music of the guitar had not reached it nationalistic period and was
influenced by the European models of Mozart and Beethoven. The undisputed masters of
the golden age of the guitar were the Spaniard Fernando Sor and the Italian Mauro
Giuliani. The sonata allegro form was to be the model for many of the composers in the
period, but due to the difficulty in writing for music for the guitar in the sonata allegro
form, very few guitarists would be to adapt this large scale form on the guitar. Together
with Fernando Sor, Giuliani would create the most beautiful large scale works on the
guitar. Together they produced one of the guitar repertoire’s most mature and complex
music, they were not merely virtuoso performers but true composers of this period.
6
Background to the Sonata Eroica:
The Sonata Eroica was the last major work written by the mature Giuliani upon his return
to Italy. There was initial doubt to the authenticity of the authorship of this work due to
the lack of the original manuscript. However, in 1995, Dr. Thomas Heck, the leading
Giuliani scholar had discovered a letter dated February 6, 1821 from Giuliani written to
his publisher naming the work. There was also a large gap between the writing of the
music which was ca. 1821 and its publication ca. 1840. The Sonata is a one movement
Sonata Allegro Form composition. It is dedicated to Filippo Isnardi a student of
Giuliani’s who a dilettante composer and guitarist.
Analysis:
Due to the absence of measure numbers in the score that I have provided, this present
writer will refer to the measures by page number, system and finally measure position.
Introduction: Key of E
The first three systems (12 measures) is beautiful introduction to the exposition. The
tonality is clearly established with two tonic chords in root position block chords. The
second measure moves to a held dominant chord in the 1st inversion. The initial melodic
note A in the upper voice is approached with an ornamental scale flurry idiomatic to this
style. Instead of the tonic chord one expects after the 1st inversion dominant chord, the
harmony resolves instead to f#m the submediant or relative minor of the key. This is
immediately followed in the same measure by a V/V which leads the harmony back to
the dominant V or E major in the next measure which is given a dramatic pause. Again
the next measure delivers the subdominant instead of the expected tonic which concludes
the first system. The next two system essentially are in the V harmony, interchanging
7
between V and I 43 (essentially a V) which creates a dramatic tension resolved by the
introduction of the first theme in the exposition found at the fourth system.
Exposition:
The first theme is an open ended phrase made comprised of a motif and a counter motif massed
on the outlining of the A major triad. In the first measure we have the bass playing the heroic A
major triad motif, this is answered by the counter motif in the upper line in the second measure. A
triplet variation of the motif follows and is then answered by the counter motif. The second theme
enters on the second measure of the fifth system in the opening page.
This second theme overlaps with the previous countermotif and completes the the first sytem with
its closing cadetial character.
What folows is the restatement of the first theme using an extended guitar technique called the
natural harmonics followed again by the first theme in harmonics but this time in triplets.
In the second page we have the second them given more focus and treatment. The first system is a
mere restatement of ther second theme which is restated in 16th notes a total of four times.
System four of second page sees the
start of the transition area in V of V
tonality, this is done with B major scale with a pedal on the upper lower B note and a
chromatically rising arpegio fro a minor to B major.
8
In the penultimate system of the page 2, we are surprised with a dominant G major triad which
resolves into a minor, a brief detour before finally coming into C major which establishes a brief
tonicization in C.
Pivot chords: This brief C major
excursion is quickly left with use
of a vii of V back in the primary key are which leads to V7 of V B dominant seventh which is
used as a pivot chord to mdulate into the secondary keay area in E major.
Secondary key Area: E major
The third page begins with the secondary key area being E major, here with have a new theme, a
rising chromatic line outlinine the tonic triad. This is followed in the secodn system by 16th note
scale passages outlining theB Dominant scale. The third system in the page contains a repetition
of the scale pedal figure found in the transition followed by a repetion of the secondary key are
theme. The music remains in the secondary key area for a considerable length, fifteen systems in
all the same .
A new third theme enters on the last measure of the fourth page which is developed and repeated
with sisxteenth note treatment unit after the double bar where the development begins.
9
The first twelve of the repeat sign in is transition material in dotted rhythm but still in the
secondary key are of E major, which pivots the music into the development section begininning
in C major.
Development:
As expected the developmen t section goes through various keys first in C major then within the
same sytem Bb major then finally a cadenza like section G major scales with pedal and octave
treatment which resloves in G major.
This key is quckly abandoned for an extended foray into again C major lasting upto two pages of
music before the music transtions back into the recap and back into the primary key area. It is
notable that Giuliani, knowing that the music will spend some time in C major, decides to rewrite
the key signatures, cancelling themout with natural signs.
Re transtition:
10
The retranstion begins on page eight with triplet arrpeggios going through the following harmonic
progression ; C maj- A major – D minor- C diminished-B dominant- E dominant- to lead back
into E major Dominant before going back to the recap.
Recap: Primary key area A major
The recap reintroduces the secondary key area theme in the primary keay of A major for the first
time, and as expected does the same to the other materials presented in the other sections.
The theme is again repeated an octacve higher but this time there is distinctly more rhythmic
activity building up to a cadenza, the music relaxes as the third theme from the fourth page is re
introduce, giving a sense of calm and gathering of energry, which the performer will need for the
final cadential material which is virtuosic in treatment.
Conclusion:
The Sonata Eroica is written in a textbook sonata allegro form. First establishing the Primary and
secondary key areas a fifth apart, spearated by a transition. This is then followed by the transition
leading in to the development which explores primarily the C major tonality among others before
transition back into the primary key are in the recap where all the materials presented was restated
in the tonic key.