Five Short Studies by Giuseppe Torrisi

This is a Guest Post by Dario Bitetti

These five studies were in danger of never being heard and of remaining locked in a drawer. The Sicilian musician, Giuseppe Torrisi, conceived his project Five Short Studies (Cinque Studi Brevi) for guitar, twenty years ago. Recently, the great guitarist Giulio Tampalini got hold these scores and something contained in these pages sparked his interest; his deep conviction that gave life to those notes has prompted Torrisi to complete his original project. Five Short Studies were born from the desire to collect, edit and communicate a musical experience acquired over the years. The soft and melancholy, so dear to Agustin Barrios; impetuosity of whirling motions characteristic of the pages of Heitor Villa-Lobos; from the few lines of each piece shines a bright, clean state of mind, a brief and concise description of a feeling that is not hard to be perceived by the listener.

An emotion contained in such a short and complex musical text inevitably requires an execution that can convey the musical message; despite the many technical complexities to be resolved with a reasonable amount of risk. Tampalini was able to surprise, highlighting every intention of the composer: the phrasing and the communication of its second and fourth study, the impetus and strength emitted by the first and third, the great virtuosity required by the fifth are masterfully rendered by acclaimed performer on this first world recording.

It happens, sometimes, that someone notices a hidden voice, understands its emotion and has a sincere enthusiasm to give it to others.

Dario Bitetti (a dear student of M° Torrisi)

Also see:

• Giuseppe Torrisi’s guitarfreescores.com
• Watch Five Short Studies (Cinque Studi Brevi) on Giulio Tampalini’s YouTube
•  The studies are soon to be published by Les Productions d’Oz
• Below is Studi No. 5