Franco: Music for Guitar Cristiano Porqueddu

• Alfredo Franco (b. 1967): A Bleached September Sky:
• 1 Franco: A Bleached September Sky 08:02
• A Night's Tale:
• 2 Franco: A Night's Tale 06:04
• A Short Elegy:
• 3 Franco: A Short Elegy 02:20
• Alphabetical Portraits:
• 4 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: I. Sibelius 02:02
• 5 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: II. Britten 01:42
• 6 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: III. Shostakovich 02:02
• 7 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: IV. Mompou 03:07
• 8 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: V. Mosso 02:10
• 9 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: VI. Casella 02:17
• 10 Franco: Alphabetical Portraits: VII. Martin 01:38
• Memories from the Black Lodge:
• 11 Franco: Memories from the Black Lodge 04:46
• Fantasia No. 6:
• 12 Franco: Fantasia No. 6 06:13
• Inezie Deliziose:
• 13 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: I. Adagio 00:51
• 14 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: II. Petite valse Oubliée 00:37
• 15 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: III. Adagietto 00:55
• 16 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: IV. Adagietto Vaporoso 01:11
• 17 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: V. Adagietto 01:20
• 18 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: VI. Petite valse Oubliée 00:32
• 19 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: VII. Adagio 00:56
• 20 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: VIII. Adagissimo 01:10
• 21 Franco: Inezie Deliziose: IX. Adagio Elegiaco 01:08
• Fantasia No. 7:
• 22 Franco: Fantasia No. 7 02:36
• Il flauto nel bosco (Omaggio a Grazia Deledda):
• 23 Franco: Il flauto nel bosco (Omaggio a Grazia Deledda) 12:44
• Impermanence - Tombeau for Charlie Watts:
• 24 Franco: Impermanence - Tombeau for Charlie Watts 05:37
• La regina delle tenebre (Su un racconto di Grazia Deledda):
• 25 Franco: La regina delle tenebre (Su un racconto di Grazia Deledda) 10:33
• La guitarra Callada:
• 26 Franco: La guitarra Callada 10:12
• Quaderno di Aprile:
• 27 Franco: Quaderno di Aprile 11:43
• Mirando un cuadro de Goya:
• 28 Franco: Mirando un cuadro de Goya 07:46
• Isolation:
• 29 Franco: Isolation 06:52
• Microsuite:
• 30 Franco: Microsuite 05:18
• Petite suite Mécanique:
• 31 Franco: Petite suite Mécanique 03:14
• 7 Preludes:
• 32 Franco: 7 Preludes: I. Adagio 01:04
• 33 Franco: 7 Preludes: II. Allegretto con Spirito 00:48
• 34 Franco: 7 Preludes: III. Cantabile 01:47
• 35 Franco: 7 Preludes: IV. Adagio 01:10
• 36 Franco: 7 Preludes: V. Un po' Grottesco 00:36
• 37 Franco: 7 Preludes: VI. Alla Rimembranza 01:06
• 38 Franco: 7 Preludes: VII. Vivo 01:04
• Sette Aforismi:
• 39 Franco: Sette Aforismi: I. Disteso 01:11
• 40 Franco: Sette Aforismi: II. Leggero 00:55
• 41 Franco: Sette Aforismi: III. Etereo 01:03
• 42 Franco: Sette Aforismi: IV. Lento 00:42
• 43 Franco: Sette Aforismi: V. Leggero 00:51
• 44 Franco: Sette Aforismi: VI. Etereo 01:08
• 45 Franco: Sette Aforismi: VII. Disteso 01:14
• Sonatina Autunnale:
• 46 Franco: Sonatina Autunnale: I. Andantino 03:02
• 47 Franco: Sonatina Autunnale: II. Larghetto 03:16
• 48 Franco: Sonatina Autunnale: III. Allegretto 03:02
• Sonatina Estiva:
• 49 Franco: Sonatina Estiva: I. Allegretto Leggero 04:11
• 50 Franco: Sonatina Estiva: II. Barcarola 03:45
• 51 Franco: Sonatina Estiva: III. Allegretto 03:41
• Tarreghiana:
• 52 Franco: Tarreghiana 09:14
• Elegia:
• 53 Franco: Elegia 06:54
• Novembrina - The Anatomy of Melancholy:
• 54 Franco: Novembrina - The Anatomy of Melancholy 06:23
• Trittico del verso Agro:
• 55 Franco: Trittico del verso Agro: I. Satura 01:45
• 56 Franco: Trittico del verso Agro: II. Recuerdos de Recuerdos 02:00
• 57 Franco: Trittico del verso Agro: III. Yeux 03:19
• Wintergarten:
• 58 Franco: Wintergarten 07:58
• Total Runtime 03:20:47

Info for Franco: Music for Guitar

Born in Torino in 1967, Alfredo Franco was involved in non-classical music in his youth before taking up the classical guitar. He then undertook advanced studies in the historical and critical fields in the Department for Art, Music and Theatre of the University of Turin. He would later abandon concert activity as a performer and focus instead on composition. His now prolific classical guitar output has been well received by important interpreters such as Cristiano Porqueddu and increasingly programmed on the stage and in the studio.

This triple-album set constitutes a broad cross-section of Franco’s solo guitar music. Porqueddu has offered brief comments on some of the many, varied compositions that will be new to many listeners. A Bleached September Sky: multiple short episodes evoking sudden premonitions. A Night’s Tale features a rapid, edgy central section set between a dreamlike beginning and end. Alphabetical Portraits conceptually depicts seven composers by associating the letters in their surnames with notes of the chromatic scale. Inezie deliziose is a collection of miniature album leaves heralding the frivolity of an imaginary past. Fantasia No.7 contrapuntally pays homage to Renaissance vihuelists. Il flauto nel bosco – Omaggio a Grazia Deledda: a sonatina based on the Nobel Prize-winning Sardinian author’s renowned collection of short stories. La regina delle tenebre – Su un racconto di Grazia Deledda is inspired by an eponymous short story, again by the Sardinian author. La guitarra callada – Homage to Frederic Mompou seeks to convey the Catalan composer’s atmospheres. Quaderno di aprile is a minimalist diary, composed almost compulsively along a few days in April. Mirando un cuadro de Goya is one possible interpretation of the painter’s Pavo muerto. Microsuite is designed to provide an introduction to contemporary musical languages. Petite Suite mécanique honours three guitarists from different eras: Robert de Visée, Miguel Llobet and Leo Brouwer. Sette aforismi: short, sparse studies on timbre and colour. Sonatina autunnale sits somewhere between Manuel Ponce and Alfredo Casella. Sonatina estiva pays tribute to Carlo Carrà and his paintings of seaside shacks. Tarreghiana: a theme and variations based on Tárrega’s famous Prelude in A minor. Wintergarten is a farewell stroll in a Schumannesque winter garden, evoking chorales and with variations.

Cristiano Porqueddu, classical guitar

Cristiano Porqueddu
Throughout the artistic world, Cristiano Porqueddu is highly praised and recognised as one of the major interpreters of the 20th and 21st century guitar music in the contemporary scene. Critics have labeled him as “a reference point for the new generations of musicians”.

Porqueddu began his studies by following his father’s teachings. After having obtained high marks in a specialisation course with Angelo Gilardino at the Accademia Internazionale Superiore di Musica “Lorenzo Perosi”, he is now involved in an international artistic activity that encompasses concerts, discography and music composition.

As his career progressed, he has received awards in international guitar competitions. His concert activity takes place regularly between Europe and the United States and includes performances in some of the most important concert halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York or the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory of Moscow.

“[…]There are a few pianist that formed similar career pathways, notably Marc Andre-Hamelin[…]” – The Brooklyn Daily

[…]There were times, especially in the second half, when I could only shake my head in disbelief at what he was doing, and how effortless is sounded[…]” – Raymond Bisha (Naxos of America)

“[…]His concerts and his recordings illuminate the history of classical guitar music from a completely new and fascinating perspective, and make of his art a precedentless case of freshness and musical substance[…] – Angelo Gilardino

“[…]not for everyone[…]” – Classical Guitar Magazine

His recording catalog is comprised of 30 releases, over 65 CDs released by major label Brilliant Classics, which also has a worldwide distribution agreement with Porqueddu. There rave reviews for his record releases are countless.

In his honour, many solo guitar and orchestra compositions have been dedicated to him. These musical compositions have been written by a vast amount of famous composers, such as Angelo Gilardino, Leo Brouwer, Dusan Bogdanovic, Mark Delpriora, Franco Cavallone, etc.

Booklet for Franco: Music for Guitar