Unia: Piano Works Massimiliano Génot & Andrea Vigna-Taglianti

• Giuseppe Unia (1818 - 1871):
• 1 Unia: Grande fantaisie, Op. 43 (After Verdi) 12:32
• 2 Unia: Le diable boiteux, Op. 45 (After Verdi) 02:56
• 3 Unia: Il vessillo d'amore valzer, Op. 57 07:41
• 4 Unia: Pensiero fuggitivo, Op. 72 04:17
• 5 Unia: Notturno patetico, Op. 111 05:56
• 6 Unia: Casta diva norma da "La pluie des fleurs", Op. 117 06:35
• 7 Unia: La cloche du village, Op. 126 05:00
• 8 Unia: Barcarolle célèbre de C.M. Weber, Op. 133 03:59
• 9 Unia: Passeggiata sul lago d'orta, Op. 135 05:14
• 10 Unia: Lowely, Op. 157 04:11
• 11 Unia: Marcia funebre, Op. 158 07:49
• 12 Unia: Divertimento brillante sull'opera "Marta" di Flotow, Op. 160 08:10
• Total Runtime 01:14:20

Info for Unia: Piano Works

At last it is possible to present to the public the first monographic recording of works by Giuseppe Unia, who in the eighteen-sixties could boast the title of 'court pianist-composer to His Majesty the King of Italy', like his better-known colleague Hans von Bülow, court pianist to Ludwig ii of Bavaria and his friend Alfred Jaëll, pianist to the King of Hannover. Giuseppe Antonio Unia is one of the many Italian musicians whom history – or, should we say, time – has separated from us with the thin veil of oblivion. Yet his more than two hundred publications for publishers such as Ricordi, Canti and Vismara testify to a considerable degree of success, and the dedications of his works show that his friends were important people, both from a social point of view and from an artistic one. The pianists Massimiliano Génot and Andrea Vigna Taglianti here are proposing a careful selection of the piano works by Unia, fully reflecting the style and musical taste of Europe of his time, of which he was a profound connoisseur thanks to his numerous artistic experiences in Italy, Paris and Vienna.

Massimiliano Genot, piano
Andrea Vigna-Taglianti, piano

Massimiliano Génot
lives in Turin, where he obtained his piano diploma at the age of sixteen, with the highest possible grade at the “G. Verdi” Conservatoire. He also took a diploma in composition and he concluded his classical studies in Latin, Greek and Philosophy, again with maximum grades.

After being awarded the Diploma di Eccellenza upon completing a first specialisation course with Aldo Ciccolini at the Lorenzo Perosi Academy in Biella, he was admitted to the Conservatoire Supérieur in Geneva, where he continued his studies under Maria Tipo and gained the Premier Prix de Virtuosité avec Distinction. He completed his training at the Imola Academy, in particular with the piano courses of Lazar Berman and Piero Rattalino, with whom he also began researches into the historical development of piano technique. These studies led to the first ever recording of Carl Czerny’s School of Velocity op. 299 using the original metronome markings, paired with the Etudes op. 6 by Franz Liszt (Phoenix Classics). The CD was warmly received by the critics, winning several prizes and awards.

Génot has won many awards in Italian and international competitions, including the 1994 Ferruccio Busoni Competition in Bolzano, and he is engaged on a busy performing schedule in Italy and abroad. He has given concert performances at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Giovine Orchestra Genovese, Gasteig in München, the Settembre Musica Festival and the Teatro Regio in Turin, the Sagra musicale Malatestiana in Rimini, Mittelfest in Cividale del Friuli, the Teatro della Fenice in Venice, the Musikhalle in Hamburg, the Konzertsaal in Freiburg, the Chopin Museum in Warsaw and the Krakow Academy of Music, the Academy of Music in Montenegro, the Musashino Foundation in Tokio, the Bocconi University in Milan, Macerata University the Academy of France at the Villa Medici in Rome, the Oficina de Música de Curitiba in Brazil, the University of Coimbra, in Vietnam, Argentina, Ecuador, Israel, China etc. He has also played with the National Symphony Orchestra of the Italian State broadcaster RAI, the “Arturo Toscanini” Symphony Orchestra of Parma, the Orchestra of the Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Festival of Bergamo and Brescia, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Symphonic Orchestra of Ecuador, Orchestra B. Bruni of Cuneo, with whom he performed, under the direction of Claudio Morbo, among other things, works as Liszt’ Totentanz and the Piano Concerto No 2, the Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, the Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 5, the Chopin’s two piano concertos, the Rachmaninov’s Piano concerto No 2, etc.

Since 1995 Génot has been closely involved with the research work of pianist and restorer Flavio Ponzi into the modern performing potential of original instruments from the Romantic period. The two musicians played Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, using instruments which belonged to Rossini, and a programme of Romantic transcriptions at the Teatro dell’ Opera in Rome, on historic instruments by Erard and Pleyel.

Génot is also a composer in his own right: his works are published by Sconfinarte. in 1999 he performed his transcription of Das Rheingold at the Richard Wagner Association of Venice, which awarded him a study grant to enable him to attend the Bayreuth Festival. A CD came out, recorded in Bayreuth on the Wagner’s piano of Villa Wahnfried, with some unpublished transcriptions from Wagner and Verdi. In Bayreuth he has also recorded with the baritone Franz Mazura the Franz Liszt’s Melologues for the Wernersche Verlagsgesellschaft. He is also active in the lieder and opera repertoire, accompanying the soprano Anja Kampe in a first world recording of the Lieder and the lyrics of Italian composer Leone Sinigaglia (1868-1944), and plays in a duo and in various chamber formations with his sister Alessandra, a violinist, with whom he has recorded recently the Works for violin and piano of Leone Sinigaglia for Brilliant Classics (released in November 2015). He writes for the musical magazine Musica.

He is also active as musical events organizer in Torino, where he is appreciated for the originality of his proposals. In the winter 2011-2012 he has directed the concert-cycle “Franz Liszt: a musician for Europe”, including Liszt’s opera omnia for organ, chamber music, piano repertoire, Lieders, Lectures and seminars; in 2013 he organised “Erard and the French Sound”; in 2015 with F.lli Bergamini Pianoforti, in the International Piano meeting “Pianofuturo”, he presented the last Steingraeber Grand-Piano with Sordino Pedal. He teaches piano at the Turin “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory of Music in Italy, and, for the Erasmus Program, he was Visiting Professor at Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Yldiz University of Istanbul, Poznan Music Academy and at Gdansk Academy.

Andrea Vigna-Taglianti
has performed as a concert soloist and chamber musician in concert venues in Italy’s major cities, the U.S.A. (American Liszt Society -gala concerts in Boston and New York for the opening of the new Boston chapter), UAE Abu Dhabi – as “special guest” at Paris Sorbonne University, Croatia (Epidaurus Festival in Dubrovnik), in the U.K. at London Liszt Society and at Netherby Hall, in the Holy Land – Jerusalem Brigham Young University, Al Quds University, Nablus Prince Turki Theatre An Najah University, Ramallah Edward Said National Conservatory of Music Concert Hall, Bethlehem-Nativity Church for the closing concert of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and in Sudan at the Sudanese National Museum – Khartoum for the UE and Italian Embassy.

Some of his performances have been broadcast by radio and tv in Italy, Croatia, Japan (NHK World in duo with the soprano Mariam Tamari) .

Mr. Vigna-Taglianti has been the winner or finalist of national and international piano competitions and in 2008 he received the “Premio Ghedini,” presented to him by the composer’s daughter “for the high artistic level achieved by his interpretations”. He has been a member of the jury for the “Alpi Marittime” international music competition, “Sartirana Lomellina” national competition in Italy and the “Nicolaus de la Flue” piano competition in Jerusalem.

He graduated in piano performance at the “G.F. Ghedini” National Conservatory of Music and took his master degree with highest honors at the “G. Cantelli” National Conservatory of Music. He took further studies in Milan at “G. Marziali Academy of Music” with Maestro Bruno Canino, and in London with Leslie Howard.

Currently a piano teacher for the italian national schools and at the “Scuola di Alto Perfezionamento Musicale di Saluzzo” (Italy), he taught at the International Music Institute and the British International School in Abu Dhabi, The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music -Jerusalem branch, where he served for two years as a branch academic director.

Mr. Vigna-Taglianti holds a diploma cum laude in music therapy from a four-year course in Assisi, with a specialization in Musicoterapia Didattica with Dr. Rolando Benenzon of Buenos Aires. He also has a diploma for a biennial course in Biomusica and Musicoterapia Evolutiva.

Mr. Vigna-Taglianti has completed his research on the music and the life of Giuseppe Antonio Unia, pianist and composer at the royal Italian palace during the second half of the 19th century, published from Turin University Press “Studi Piemontesi”. He recorded for the labels Sheva Collection and Tactus Records.

Booklet for Unia: Piano Works