Marcello Fantoni guitar · Carlo Enrico Sandrini clarinet · Alessandra Alfonsi fluteESTESO TRIO

COMPLETE MUSIC FOR CLARINET, FLUTE & GUITAR

Rebay

Ferdinand Rebay 1880-1953Complete Music for Clarinet, Flute and Guitar

Variations in the style of the greatest Austrian composers over the song “Mein schönes Innsbruck am grünen Inn”. For ensemble with Guitar, Flute, Clarinet and Voice FRWV IV 4/6*1. Thema Langsames

Marsch-Zeitmaß 0’502. I. Var. (à la Mozart)

Graziös bewegt 1’073. II. Var. (à la Haydn)

Menuett-Zeitmaß 1’134. III. Var. (à la Beethoven)

Sehr langsam 2’235. IV. Var. (à la Schubert) Im Zeitmaß

des Liedes „Die Forelle“ 1’516. V. Var. (à la Johann Strauß)

Walzer Zeitmaß 0’557. Wie in Erinnerung versunken

(durchwegs sehr leise zu singen und so leise als möglich zu begleiten) 1’06

Small Spanish Rhapsodie for Trio ensemble with Flute, Clarinet and Guitar FRWV IV 5/12/IVFür meine liebe Gerta!20. Tempo di Marcia

(non “Alla breve”) 1’3021. Allegretto grazioso 1’2722. Moderato (con moto) 1’0523. Lento 1’5024. Tempo di Bolero 2’10

Variations on a theme by the composer himself for Trio ensemble with Flute, Clarinet (in A) and Guitar FRWV IV 5/13/IV25. Thema Im Volkston. Ruhig

und ausdrucksvoll 1’0626. I. Var. Ein wenig bewegter als das

Zeitmaß des Themas 1’11

Trio in A for Flute, Clarinet and Guitar FRWV IV 5/10Meiner lieben Gerta! Ostern 19418. I. Satz Allegro moderato

(Tempo di Minuetto) 7’219. II. Satz Ruhig, mit Ausdruck 5’0410. III. Satz Presto (– prestissimo) 3’4211. IV. Satz. Finale

(Rondo a la “perpetuum mobile”) Allegretto con moto (Gut bewegt, aber nicht zu schnell) 4’56

Variations on a Tirolean tune for Trio ensemble with Flute, Clarinet and Guitar FRWV IV 5/11/IV12. Thema Marschmäßig bewegt 0’4813. I. Var. Gut bewegt 0’5114. II. Var. Im selben Zeitmaß 0’4715. III. Var. Sehr lebhaft bewegt 1’3016. IV. Var. Ruhiges Zeitmaß 2’0217. V. Var. Walzer-Zeitmaß 0’5918. VI. Var. Langsam (rubato) 1’5419. VII. Var. Frisches

Marsch-Zeitmaß 1’48

27. II. Var. Im Zeitmaß des Thema’s Ruhig und sehr ausdrucksvoll 1’15

28. III. Var. Innig bewegt, aber ruhiges Zeitmaß! 1’16

29. IV. Var. Lebhaft bewegt 0’5130. V. Var. Langsam

(Trauermarsch-Charakter) 2’1031. VI. Var. a la Menuett 1’1232. VII. Var. Graziös bewegt

(launig) 1’1433. VIII. Var. Etwas elegisch (Zeitmaß

etwas langsamer als bei einer ruhigen Gavotte) 1’58

34. IX. Var. Ruhiges Walzer Zeitmaß 0’50

35. X. Var. Lebhaft bewegt (Zeitmaß der Tarantella) 1’16

36. XI. Var. (rubato) 4’0937. XII. Var. Scherzo Sehr lebhaft 5’33

ESTESO TRIOMarcello Fantoni guitar · Carlo Enrico Sandrini clarinet · Alessandra Alfonsi flute

*Eleonora Mosca voice

In the following years he composed many works for both of these choirs. In 1920, Rebay was appointed Professor of Piano at the Staatsakademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna. Always a prolific composer, he continued to write music in particular for voice, composing two operas and about four hundred Lieder. While remaining a well-known composer, his style started to be overshadowed by the success of the arising Second Viennese School’s composers. Rebay wrote about 600 pieces (296 of which are kept in The Abbey of Stift Heiligenkreuz Collection) for solo guitar, guitar chamber music in various combinations with other instruments, lessons for beginners, solo songs, children’s songs and choral parts with guitar accompaniment.

He began to be interested in the guitar due to the influence of his niece, the concert guitarist Gerta Hammerschmied (to whom he dedicated a significant number of his guitar works) and of his friend Jacob Ortner, professor of guitar at the Musikhochschule.

The five works here recorded for Clarinet, Flute and Guitar trio, dedicated to his niece Gerta, are a clear example of Rebay’s style that can be definitely classified as conservative, bearing in mind the musical revolutions that took place in the first half of the twentieth century. Employing Classical and Baroque forms as Menuett, Scherzo, Rondò, Variations, and even Suite, his compositions frequently incorporate elements borrowed from German and Austrian folklore with occasional touches of impressionism. The deep love for Austrian folklore shown in his works can describe himself as a Nationalistic composer. His gratitude to the great old Masters is very clear in all his compositions. His works and style are influenced by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Schubert and denote a great compositional technique combined with a highly refined musical taste.

Rebay’s guitar music, with its Brahmsian roots (really unique in the guitar repertoire) and sophisticated compositional technique, has therefore forged its own highly significant place in the history of the instrument.

Ferdinand Rebay spent the last few years of his life poor and almost completely forgotten. He died in Vienna on 6 December 1953© Marcello Fantoni

Ferdinand Rebay, born in Vienna on June 11, 1880, was an Austrian composer, pianist, conductor and piano teacher with Italian roots. His grandfather, Antonio Maria Agostina, emigrated from Italy to Brno in the first half of the 18th century. Pognana, near the Lake of Como, Italy, has been documented as the original seat of the Rebay family. His father, Ferdinand Wilhelm Rebay, owned a music shop and was also a music editor, partner of Anton Robitschek Rebay & Robitschek Verlag in Vienna. Since very young, Rebay started to play violin and piano. His mother, a former pupil of Bruckner, was certainly little Ferdinand’s first piano teacher.

In 1890, 10-year-old Ferdinand was sent to the Abbey of Stift Heiligenkreuz as a choir boy for four years. Here he received, thanks to his teacher, Father Stephan Pfeiffer and the abbey’s organist, Hans Fink, a thorough musical education becoming a solo alto. In 1900 he graduated from the Kunstgewerbeschule des Museum für Kunst und Industrie in Vienna. At the same time, he took music lessons with Joseph J. von Wöss and Eusebius Mandyczewski. He also studied horn, in the meanwhile achieving the first success as a composer of Lieder, choral works and scene music.

In 1901 he was admitted at the Konservatorium der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna (today’s Universität Für Musik Und Darstellende Kunst Wien) where, from 1901 to 1904, he studied composition with Robert Fuchs (1847-1927), one of the few composers praised by Brahms and teacher - among others - of Gustav Mahler, Jean Sibelius, Alexander Zemlinsky, Richard Strauss.

In the Konservatorium he also continued his piano studies with Josef Casimir Hofmann (1876-1957), one of the greatest pianists of all time and especially noted for his glittering performances of the music of Frédéric Chopin.

While still a student he was awarded the Silberne Gesellschaftsmedaille, the ‘Brahms Premium’, and the ‘Zusner’ Prizes.

He graduated with distinction in 1904 with his work Erlkönig for large orchestra which Fuchs hailed as the finest work to have been produced in his 29 years of teaching at the Conservatory. At this time, Rebay’s list of works counted already hundreds of works for voice, piano solo, chamber and orchestral music.

Rebay became the leader of the Wiener Chorverein and later, in 1915, he took the same role with the Wiener Schubertbund remaining in these posts until 1920.

1920. Negli anni successivi compose molte opere per entrambi i cori. Nel 1920 Rebay fu nominato professore di pianoforte alla Staatsakademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst di Vienna. Da sempre compositore prolifico, continuò a scrivere musica in particolare per voce, componendo due opere e circa quattrocento Lieder. Pur rimanendo un noto compositore, il suo stile cominciò ad essere messo in ombra dal successo dei compositori della nascente Seconda Scuola di Vienna. Rebay scrisse circa 600 pezzi (296 dei quali sono conservati nella collezione The Abbey of Stift Heiligenkreuz Collection) per chitarra solista, musica da camera per chitarra in varie combinazioni con altri strumenti, lezioni per principianti, canzoni soliste, canzoni per bambini e parti corali con accompagnamento di chitarra.

Iniziò ad interessarsi alla chitarra grazie all’influenza di sua nipote, la concertista chitarrista Gerta Hammerschmied (alla quale dedicò un numero significativo delle sue opere chitarristiche) e del suo amico Jacob Ortner, professore di chitarra alla Musikhochschule.

Le cinque opere qui registrate per trio clarinetto, flauto e chitarra, dedicate alla nipote Gerta, sono un chiaro esempio dello stile di Rebay che può essere sicuramente classificato come conservatore, tenendo conto delle rivoluzioni musicali avvenute nella prima metà del XX secolo. Impiegando forme classiche e barocche come il minuetto, lo scherzo, il rondò, le variazioni e persino la suite, le sue composizioni incorporano spesso elementi presi in prestito dal folclore tedesco e austriaco con qualche tocco di impressionismo. Il profondo amore per il folclore austriaco che si manifesta nelle sue opere, può farlo ascrivere alla corrente compositiva nazionalista. La sua riconoscenza verso i grandi maestri antichi è molto chiara in tutte le sue composizioni. Le sue opere e il suo stile sono influenzati da Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms e Schubert e denotano una grande tecnica compositiva combinata con un gusto musicale molto raffinato.

La musica per chitarra di Rebay, con le sue radici brahmsiane (davvero uniche nel repertorio chitarristico) e la sua sofisticata tecnica compositiva, ha quindi conquistato un posto di grande rilievo nella storia dello strumento.

Ferdinand Rebay trascorse gli ultimi anni della sua vita povero e quasi completamente dimenticato.

Morì a Vienna il 6 dicembre 1953© Marcello Fantoni

Ferdinand Rebay, nato a Vienna l’11 giugno 1880, fu un compositore, pianista, direttore d’orchestra e insegnante di pianoforte austriaco, di origine italiana. Suo nonno, Antonio Maria Agostina, emigrò dall’Italia a Brno nella prima metà del XVIII secolo. Pognana, vicino al lago di Como, in Italia, è stata documentata come la sede originaria della famiglia Rebay. Suo padre, Ferdinand Wilhelm Rebay, fu proprietario di un negozio di musica ed era anche editore musicale, partner di Anton Robitschek Rebay & Robitschek Verlag a Vienna. Fin da giovanissimo, Rebay iniziò a suonare il violino e il pianoforte. Sua madre, ex allieva di Bruckner, fu certamente la prima insegnante di pianoforte del piccolo Ferdinand.

Nel 1890, Ferdinand, 10 anni, fu mandato nell’abbazia di Stift Heiligenkreuz come cantore, per quattro anni. Qui ricevette, grazie al suo insegnante, padre Stephan Pfeiffer e all’organista dell’abbazia, Hans Fink, un’accurata educazione musicale che lo portò a diventare un contralto solista. Nel 1900 si diplomò alla Kunstgewerbeschule des Museum für Kunst und Industrie di Vienna. Contemporaneamente prese lezioni di musica con Joseph J. von Wöss e Eusebius Mandyczewski. Studiò anche corno, ottenendo nel frattempo i primi successi come compositore di Lieder, opere corali e musica di scena.

Nel 1901 fu ammesso al Konservatorium der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde di Vienna (oggi Universität Für Musik Und Darstellende Kunst Wien) dove, dal 1901 al 1904, studiò composizione con Robert Fuchs (1847-1927), uno dei pochi compositori elogiati da Brahms e maestro - tra gli altri - di Gustav Mahler, Jean Sibelius, Alexander Zemlinsky, Richard Strauss.

In Conservatorio continuò anche gli studi pianistici con Josef Casimir Hofmann (1876-1957), uno dei più grandi pianisti di tutti i tempi, noto soprattutto per le sue brillanti esecuzioni della musica di Frédéric Chopin.

Ancora studente, ricevette il premio Silberne Gesellschaftsmedaille, il “Premio Brahms” e il premio “Zusner”.

Si è laureò con lode nel 1904 con l’opera per grande orchestra Erlkönig che Fuchs salutò come la migliore opera prodotta nei suoi 29 anni di insegnamento al Conservatorio. In questo periodo, l’elenco delle opere di Rebay contava già centinaia di opere per voce, pianoforte solo, musica da camera e orchestrale.

Rebay divenne il direttore del Wiener Chorverein e più tardi, nel 1915, assunse lo stesso ruolo con il Wiener Schubertbund rimanendo in questi incarichi fino al

Eduardo Fernández (2005), Timo Koronen (2005), Leo Brouwer (2006) and Pavel Steidel (2006) at the Conservatory of Florence where, in 2007, he earned a master’s degree in performance. His compositions include Perpetuum, omaggio a Egberto Gismonti (for solo guitar, 2004), Omaggio a Michel Petrucciani, Omaggio a Manuel de Falla and Sonata Semplice. He has a number of broadcasts and recordings to his credit, including the works of Spanish composer Tomás Marco and of the Italian composer and guitarist Luigi Moretti (1774-1856 ca.) both released on the Italian label Dynamic. In 2014 Tomás Marco dedicated his chamber works Trio Concertante No.5 ‘Cartografias of Melodrama’ (for flute, viola and guitar) and Para un ritual del olvido (for clarinet and guitar) to Marcello Fantoni. In 2015 he made the world premiere recording of guitar works by the Sevillian composer Manuel Castillo (1930–2005) and, in 2017, of Rossini Variations (reaching the 5th position in the ranking of the best sales of Naxos). Since 2017 he has teached classical guitar at the “Giacomo Puccini” Music Conservatory in Gallarate (VA).

Carlo Enrico Sandrini, graduated in Clarinet at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory of Como and in Composition at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory of Milan with full honors. Since 2003 he has taught music in public and private schools, choral singing and music education in primary schools and preparatory music in kindergarten. He’s currently teaching clarinet at middle schools in Milano. He keeps harmony and compositional rudiments group lessons at “Blau Studio” in Milan. He has collaborated with “Sacco Hospital” of Milan taking collective music courses for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. He has held several conferences on the jazz language at the A.L.D.A.I.

Active as arranger, he works with independent labels for the Italian songwriting market. His works are published by the labels “Niegazowana”, “Magmatiq” and “Zeromoneta”. He writes music for films and documentaries. His compositions were performed at festivals dedicated to contemporary music in Milan (Rebus) and Porvoo-Finland (Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival 2016 performed by Avanti! Ensemble and conducted by Anna Maria Helsing).

Since 2005 he has played in a permanent duo with the pianist Roberta Salaris.

Marcello Fantoni, musician, teacher, researcher and composer, has studied classical guitar since the age of eight. Under the guidance of Lena Kokkaliari and with Paolo Paolini at the Conservatory of Milan he graduated summa cum laude in performance, as well as studying composition. Later he studied musical analysis at the University of Cremona. He was awarded a Sergio Dragoni Foundation scholarship and in 1996 took advanced courses with Eliot Fisk at the Salzburg Mozarteum, with Leo Brouwer in Córdoba, and with Oscar Ghiglia at the Accademia Chigiana, Siena, where he won a scholarship and a diploma of merit. The Rome ARAM Association hailed him as an emerging talent, inviting him to play during their concert season. He attended masterclasses held by

From left to right: Marcello Fantoni, Carlo Enrico Sandrini, Alessandra Alfonsi and Eleonora Mosca

Eleonora Mosca, singer. Born in Milano and graduated in Modern foreign languages and literature at Università Statale of Milan with a thesis about music and poetry of English Renaissance. She studied lyrical and baroque singing, with a particular attention to English Renaissance music and german Lieder. Besides she studied Jazz, Pop and Music Theatre singing styles. In the years she had collaborations with some Italian orchestras like “Carlo Coccia”, “Camerata dei laghi”, “Orchestra delle Groane”, “Orchestra Haydn” in Legnano and with the guitar Ensemble “Sextha Consort”, wtih a repertoire that included songs written in Portuguese language. With her versatile voice she sang different kind of roles and characters in the classical and Music theatre worlds: Zerlina, Bastiana, Agnese del Maino, Amina, Maria, Eliza Doolittle, Maria Maddalena, Grizabella. Interested in the repertorire for voice and guitar, she released under the label “Eco Classic” the album “Ombre amene” with the guitarist Andrea Massimo Fantozzi, which included songs by Giuliani, Carulli and some Diabelli’s LIeder transcriptions for guitar. Since 1998 she is director of the singing class in “MTS, Musical the school” of Milan, one of the three most important Music Theatre accademies in Italy. In the years she addressed the musical direction of Musical shows as “Crazy for you”, “Anything goes”, “Chapeau”, “Pippin” and, in 2019, “Hair”, produced by “Compagnia della Rancia”.

Alessandra Alfonsi graduated from the Conservatory “L. D’Annunzio” in Pescara in 2010, with a final mark of 9/10. When she was 16, she was selected to represent the Conservatory of Pescara as its best student, performing a duet with Maestro M. Marvulli.

In 2008 she was a member of the “Orchestra Nazionale de iConservatori d’Italia”, with whom she worked performing all over Italy and together with some artists such as M. Caballé, J. Pons, S. Licitra, F. Mastrangelo. She also collaborated with the Teatro Marrucino’s Orchestra, in Chieti, with the Solisti Aquilani and with Pescara’s Symphony Orchestra.

Alessandra Alfonsi performed during several festivals, such as the “Settimana Mozartiana”(Mozart Week) in Chieti and the “Settembre in musica” Festival in Ascoli Piceno. Together with the “Flûte Ensemble del Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana”, she took part in important events in the LAC in Lugano. She performed as a solo flute with the “String Orchestra del Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana” conducted by Maestro Pavel Berman in the Brandenburg Concerto No.4 by J. S Bach and in the Concerto for Flute and Harp K299 by W. A. Mozart.

From 2011 to 2013 she attended a Specialization Course at the Conservatory of Aulnay-sous-bois in Paris with Maestro P. Gallois, getting top marks, the so-called “Prix d’Excellence”. In 2014 she completed, with honours, her Second Level Specialist 2-year course in Music Disciplines at the Conservatory “L. D’Annunzio” in Pescara. In 2016 she completed her Master’s Degree in Music Pedagogy at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana (Conservatory of Italian Switzerland), being in the class of Maestro A. Oliva. In 2018 she performed with the Orchestra “Camerata Dei Castelli” at the Kammermusiksaal Berliner Philharmonikerin Berlin conducted by Maestro Andreas Laake in music by Maestro Daniel Pacitti.

Special Thanks to Lena Kokkaliari and Rino Trasi for their great help

Recording: 28-29 September 2019, Officina Fuori Opera, Milan, ItalyAudio Engineer: Andrea Massimo FantozziEditing Audio: Marcello Fantoni and Carlo SandriniArtists’ photos: Bruno Ruggerio (Fantoni), Roberta Salaria (Alfonsi & Sandrini), Roberto Ranzani (Mosca)Cover: Innsbruck (1930), by Lajos Gimes (1886-1944/45)p & © 2021 Brilliant Classics