Papier-Maché - Federica Artuso

Papier-Maché (CVLD365)

María Luisa Anido (1907- 1996)

01 - Aire norteño 1:23

02 - El misachico 3:45

03 - Minueto del “Don Juan” de Mozart 2:24

04 - Canción del Yucatán 1:50

05 - Boceto Indígena 4:10

Abel Fleury (1903-1958)

also published as “Melodia popular argentina” by María Luisa Anido

06 - Milonguea del Ayer 2:30

Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)

Tres canciones populares mexicanas

07 - La Pajarera 1:13

08 - Por ti mi corazón 3:18

09 - La Valentina 1:52

Enrique Granados (1867-1916) trascr. M. Llobet

10 - Danza española n.5, Andaluza 5:23

Miguel Llobet (1878-1938)

11 - El Testament de n’ Amèlia 2:03

12 - Canço de lladre 1:57

Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909)

13 - María Gavota 1:39

14 - Alborada Caixa de Música 2:31

15 - Adelita Mazurka 1:39

Julián Arcas (1832- 1882)

16 - Soleà 5:42

17 - Bolero 2:16

Juan Parga (1843 - 1899)

18 - Mi lira, op.8 n.1 4:30

19 - Guajira, op.5 n.2 4:50

Carlos Garcia Tolsa (1858-1905)

20 - Al fin solos 4:07

Total time: 59:13

Papier-Mâché guitars made by Fabio Zontini (2023) inspired by Torres FE14 (1862

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

A MYSTERIOUS STORY

"Don Antonio, you must not take the secret of your guitars to the grave with you…"

"...it is impossible for me to pass it on to posterity.”

The case of Torres's Papier-Mâché has been a unique event in the history of guitar making, and, more generally speaking, of musical instrument craftsmanship. Antonio de Torres (1817-1892) - considered today the Stradivarius of the six strings - was the first and, to our knowledge, the only maker who built a Papier-Mâché instrument in 1862. In spite of its humble looks, this guitar unexpectedly restores a captivating, mysterious and unique world of sounds. Since the original one, currently preserved at the Museum of Music in Barcelona, is no longer able to express its voice, the album aims at rediscovering and reviving the peculiar timbre and sound characteristics of this fascinating instrument through the use of two copies inspired by it.

Luthier Fabio Zontini accepted the challenge launched by Torres and has now been making Papier-Mâché copies for nearly two decades. The two guitars played in the recording by Federica Artuso were made between April and September 2023 and both incredibly weigh just 995 grams. Natural gut strings are mounted on them. Zontini has thus drawn a kind of connection between himself and the great Torres, seizing on a kind of experimental prototype designed by the Andalusian luthier, and successfully making it well known nowadays.

The Papier-Mâché is a kind of living contradiction, precisely because of the contrast between poor material and the artistically surprising sound results. Inspired by this juxtaposition, the recorded repertoire embodies the core paradox of the identity of this guitar, rooted on the one hand in its humble, authentic folk soul, on the other hand in the Olympus of classical music. The recorded music is all by guitarist-composers who lived in the era of the Papier-Mâché guitars or who had something to do with Torres's instruments. These guitarists are part of that performing tradition and poetics of sound symbolized by Papier-Mâché guitars. Some of the pieces, although written by composers who are not guitarists, are part of that repertoire which the six strings are most identified with.

Arcas and Parga attempted to elevate guitar to a cultured instrument, though without succeeding in totally emancipating themselves from Flamenco reminiscences. Their style is perfectly suited to the archaic essential quality of the Papier-Mâché sound, and their music, while strongly rooted in folk language, gradually leads us to the bourgeois and salon style of Garcia-Tolsa and Tarrega, both Arcas's pupils. Their music is no longer just for those with flamenco blood running through their veins or for those who consider opera the only cultured music. It is music that appeals to intellectuals and, if it admits some dancing, it does so as long as it is chamber music. From a musician point of view, unlike his predecessors, Tarrega succeeds in combining expressive impulses into totally accomplished forms.

Miguel Llobet, one of Tarrega’s pupils, is best known as a composer for his guitar version of the Canciones populares catalanas. The section of recordings dedicated to this author also features repertoire that was not written by him, but, nevertheless, faithfully represents his style and showcases all the innovations his creative flair brought about, bringing out what is most characteristic of this specific guitar.

Maria Luisa Anido was Llobet's pupil and also his partner in a guitar duo. The Argentinian musician was one of the last guitarists in the 1950s to use gut strings - now difficult to find – as well as the owner of Tarrega's Torres (1864, FE17). Anido is emblematic of the representation of guitar as a borderline between the worlds of popular and cultured music, a contradiction that is unlikely to ever be completely resolved. This is shown in her charmingly beautiful transcriptions of the great classics such as Bach, Mozart, Tchaikowsky and her South American pieces, pulsating with indigenous energy.

* The pieces written by Parga and Garcia Tolsa are not contained in the vinyl version.

• Read more about our blog
  Also available in:  LP 180gr. su Top Clear Vinyl -  BUNDLE

88.2kHz / 24bit digital recording made at Magister Recording Area, Pereganziol (Italy) on January 5, 6, 7, 8, 2024 Analog Mix and Mastering made at MLS Studio, Naquera (Spain), on April, 5, 6, 2024

Production: Marco Lincetto, Federica Artuso, Fabio Zontini
Executive Producer: Marco Lincetto
Recording, mix and mastering engineer: Marco Lincetto
Musical producer on stage: Andrea Bissoli
Editing: Federica Artuso
Cover photo: Diego Ferrini, Vicenza
English translation by Maria Michela Camerlengo
Design: L’Image