Happy coincidence
When studying the cello everyone seemed to play the Arpeggione sonata by Schubert. It sounded a little like Paganini’s capricci for violin. On the other hand the songs by Schubert were often simple - at first at least. This was somewhat confusing – including the brief introduction of the instrument Arpeggione in the music. The idea of how bowed guitar could sound was tested when trying one at home with my cello bow. The sounding result was horrible.
When participating The Baryton symposium 2000 in Düsseldorf I met Alfred Lessing (1939–2013), who played, builded and researched barytons, arpeggiones, gambas and cellos. He was really a man of many skills and I got a somewhat different impression of arpeggione. With Alfred’s tip I found an instrument by Caroline Zillman from Meissen. The arpeggione is after viennese Johann Stauffer, who in general is considered to be the inventor of it, eventhough the idea of bowed guitar existed elsewhere too, resulting some competion of the inventor of arpeggione.
Some years later when playing in group of continuo at Sibelius Academy the player of baroque guitar of the ensemble, Niklas Mellberg told me he got a classical guitar after Stauffer. Our careless talk led for trying various music with arpeggione and classical guitar and consequently to give concerts and recordings.
The photo above is from recording the Arpeggione Sonata by Schubert and some virtuoso and other viennoise music with Niklas. It is still in waiting for editing, but hopefully we get it out at 2013.
When participating The Baryton symposium 2000 in Düsseldorf I met Alfred Lessing (1939–2013), who played, builded and researched barytons, arpeggiones, gambas and cellos. He was really a man of many skills and I got a somewhat different impression of arpeggione. With Alfred’s tip I found an instrument by Caroline Zillman from Meissen. The arpeggione is after viennese Johann Stauffer, who in general is considered to be the inventor of it, eventhough the idea of bowed guitar existed elsewhere too, resulting some competion of the inventor of arpeggione.
Some years later when playing in group of continuo at Sibelius Academy the player of baroque guitar of the ensemble, Niklas Mellberg told me he got a classical guitar after Stauffer. Our careless talk led for trying various music with arpeggione and classical guitar and consequently to give concerts and recordings.
The photo above is from recording the Arpeggione Sonata by Schubert and some virtuoso and other viennoise music with Niklas. It is still in waiting for editing, but hopefully we get it out at 2013.
