Giulio Regondi

Giulio Regondi Lithograph by Josef Kriehuber, 1841.
Young Giulio performing at the Royal Adelphi Theatre in London on 3 September 1831

Giulio Regondi (1822 in either Geneva or Lyon – May 6, 1872 in London) was an Italian classical guitarist, concertinist and composer.

Regondi was a child prodigy. Fernando Sor dedicated his Souvenir d'amitié, op. 46 to Regondi in 1831, when the boy was just nine.

There is a reference to his appearing in London in 1831, presented as a child prodigy of the guitar.[1] Most of Regondi's music was written for the English system concertina however, at which he was a virtuoso,[2] though his guitar music is probably better known. His works for solo guitar comprise a set of etudes and five larger works.

Dr James Westbrook writes: Just an observation about the opening sentence (above): If he was thought to be born in either Geneva (Switzerland) or Lyon (France), his date of birth given here must be taken with caution, also how can he be an 'Italian classical guitarist'?

Selected works

External links

Publications
Sheet music
Images

References

  1. The Times, Thursday, Jun 16, 1831; pg. 3; Issue 14566; col A “NEW MUSICAL FUND:...An interesting little boy of the name of Regondi, apparently between six and seven years of age, performed a fantasia on the guitar, with most manly power and surprising brilliancy. He was seated on a stool, which was placed on the pianoforte...”
  2. The Times, Wednesday, Apr 26, 1837; pg. 5; Issue 16400; col C : “GREAT CONCERT-ROOM – KING’S THEATRE...There was also a novelty in the shape of an instrument called “a concertina,” an improvement on the accordion, which has been such a favourite musical toy for the last two or three years. The tones of this instrument are sweet and pleasing; but far more striking than the concertina itself were the feeling and ease with which it was played by that clever little boy Giulio Regondi, who executed several intricate passages with surprising facility and precision.”