Ida A Tribute to Presti - IDAGIO
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A Tribute to
Ida Presti
Cinzia Milani
guitar
A Tribute to Ida Presti Since I was a child, when I first started studying the guitar, I have always admired
Music for solo guitar Ida Presti. I consider her a real pioneer among the concert guitarists of the period,
not only on account of her great talent, but also for the fact that she was a female
musician in a world as difficult as ours.
Ida Presti 1924-1967 Gontran Dessagnes 1904-1978
Still today I find her performances really modern, a source of great wisdom as
1. Danse Rythmique 2’53 10. Tendresse 3’58
regards both musical analysis and interpretation.
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of her death, the current recording is
Alexandre Lagoya 1929-1999 Cinzia Milani
intended as a homage with a focus on an aspect of Ida Presti’s musical life that is
2. Caprice 1’52 11. Quattro Mi 4’04
perhaps less well known: her oeuvre as a composer and soloist.
3. Rêverie 3’31
Getting to know Isabelle Presti, Ida’s granddaughter, greatly helped me come to
Francis Poulenc 1864-1915
grips with her music and appreciate the unique heritage that she has left for later
Miguel Ablóniz 1917-2011 12. Sarabande* 2’44
generations.
4. Pequeña Romanza 1’52
My initial research into the composers who wrote for Ida Presti naturally drew me
Ida Presti
deeply into her life, and this I found very exciting. Yet I would never have imagined
Ida Presti 13. Etude 1 0’46
that I might discover unpublished compositions dedicated to her, or that I would have
5. Etude du matin* 2’41 14. Etude 2 2’07
the opportunity and honour of meeting the families that were musically close to Ida,
15. Etude 3 2’36
establishing friendships and active collaboration with the descendants of those same
John W. Duarte 1919-2004 16. Etude 4 1’03
composers, who are musicians as well.
6. Idylle pour Ida* 4’37 17. Etude 5 1’15
Each time a piece emerged from oblivion I was filled with happiness, my life
18. Etude 6 2’03
enriched by the perception of musical events that were and are of great importance
Dimitris Fampas 1921-1996
for the world of the guitar. Breathing new life into these forgotten works has been a
Concert Studies Guy Morançon b.1927
real joy that I am delighted to share with the people who have made this homage to
7. No.1 1’17 19. Analecta* 10’42
Ida possible, and more in general with whoever choses to listen to this album.
8. No.8 4’20
So I would like to thank Isabelle Presti for her friendship and support. She has
opened up a chapter of history for me, and through it I have been able to get much
Ida Presti
closer to Ida.
9. Segovia 6’08
My thanks also go to Jean-Bernard Morançon, Guy’s son, who welcomed my
decision to include Analecta in the recording, and who facilitated the ensuing
collaboration with his father; to Marybel Dessagnes, Gontran’s daughter, for her
support and friendship in our shared effort in recovering works by her father; and to
Cinzia Milani guitar
Guitar made by Gabriele Lodi
* Guitar made by Gioachino Giussani
Frédéric Zigante for his precious friendship and collaboration in research. remarkable and somewhat atypical compositions for solo guitar that were homages
I will always be grateful for this music, because it has helped me reflect through Ida to Ida. These were followed by duos and two concertos for two guitars and orchestra,
on works that are timeless. the first of their kind in the history of music. Again they were homages, this time to
© Cinzia Milani the virtuoso skill of an extraordinary couple.
© Marybel Dessagnes, daughter of the composer
When Cinzia Milani first spoke to me about her idea for a homage to my
grandmother, I asked her what Ida Presti meant to her. Notes On The Works
She replied: She was a FREE woman. Alongside the works by Ida Presti herself, for this recording I decided to add a
She was indeed free; free to serve the music that she took with her on her worldwide number of pieces dedicated to her by other composers who knew her and appreciated
travels throughout her life! Ida had human qualities, spiritual gifts and talents as an her artistry, including her husband Alexandre Lagoya.
instrumentalist that were totally exceptional: an enfant prodige of the guitar whose The album starts with a portrayal of the couple in the shape of the Danse
elegant nimbleness, luminous musicality and wonderful self-confidence made her the Rythmique that Ida Presti dedicated to her husband, followed by the two pieces
greatest woman guitarist of all times. Caprice and Rêverie that Alexandre dedicated to his wife. Other composers wrote
© Isabelle Presti their pieces while Ida Presti was still alive: for example Abloniz, whose Pequena
Romanza was premiered by Ida herself on 3rd December 1948 at the Parpignan
An “Analecta” is a collection of pieces, a set of extracts or chosen studies. Conservatoire; or Poulenc, who in 1960 wrote the famous Sarabande; or indeed
I composed this work in memory of Ida Presti, whom I had the opportunity to meet. the Greek composer Dimitri Fampas, the first 12 of whose 24 Concert Studies were
With her husband, Alexandre Lagoya, she had formed an acclaimed duo. And she dedicated to Ida Presti, while numbers 13 to 24 were dedicated to Andrés Segovia
was one of the greatest guitarists of her time. I admired her enormously. - thereby putting the two guitarists on the same footing. Gontran Dessagnes, who
Analecta is a suite consisting of pieces for an instrument that for a certain period I made an important contribution to the evolution of composition, developed a great
particularly appreciated. This may seem paradoxical, because I was essentially an friendship with Ida and Alexander, writing his Tendresse for Ida in 1954.
organist, and also an orchestral and choral conductor. Following Ida’s sudden death in 1967, in August the composer Guy Morançon
Many years have passed since I last heard this work, so I shall be very happy, Cinzia, wrote Analecta, in memoriam. Then in 1985 John W. Duarte dedicated his Idylle
to listen to your performance here. to the great guitarist. As a token of my huge admiration for the ease with which
© Guy Morançon Ida Presti was able to hold down four E notes on the guitar fingerboard, a truly
extraordinary feat that astounded audiences of the time, I would like to dedicate my
Gontran Dessagnes first met Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya, two exceptional own piece Quattro Mi to her, with great affection.
guitarists, in 1954. The encounter was the start of an unshakable friendship that © Cinzia Milani
helped shape the classical guitar repertoire. Among the works thus born were severalFin da bambina, quando iniziai a studiare chitarra, ho sempre ammirato la figura di Ida Frédéric Zigante per la preziosa amicizia e collaborazione nella ricerca. Presti, ritenendola una pioniera fra i concertisti dell’epoca: in parte per il suo grande Grazie a tutta questa musica che mi ha permesso di specchiarmi in Ida e di far si talento ed in parte per essere una donna musicista in un mondo difficile come il nostro. che la sua musica sia senza tempo e per sempre. Ancora oggi le sue esecuzioni sono assolutamente attuali, fonte di grande senso © Cinzia Milani dell’analisi musicale e dell’interpretazione. Nel 50° anniversario della sua scomparsa, con questa registrazione, voglio rendere Lorsque Cinzia Milani m’a parlé de son projet artistique pour rendre hommage à ma omaggio a Lei illuminando una parte forse un po’ sconosciuta e dimenticata della sua grand-mère, je lui ai demandé ce que représentait Ida Presti à ses yeux. vita musicale: Ida compositrice e solista. Elle m’a répondu : c’était une femme LIBRE La conoscenza e l’amicizia con Isabelle Presti, nipote di Ida, è stata fondamentale e Oui elle était libre, libre pour servir la musique qu’elle a tout au long de sa vie mi ha permesso di comprendere veramente la sua musica facendomi sentire ancor di emmenée sur tous les continents de notre terre ! Des qualités exceptionnelles tant sur più l’impronta unica che ha lasciato Ida. le plan humain que sur le plan instrumental et spirituel, qui ont permis à cette enfant Quando ho iniziato la mia ricerca tra i compositori che hanno scritto per Ida Presti, prodige de la guitare dont l’élégante vélocité, la lumineuse musicalité, la merveilleuse addentrandomi nella storia della vita di Ida ero molto emozionata e curiosa, ma non sûreté en ont fait la plus grande guitariste de tous les temps. mi sarei aspettata di scoprire composizioni inedite dedicate a lei, e di avere l’occasione © Isabelle Presti e l’onore di poter conoscere le famiglie che sono state legate musicalmente ad Ida, intessendo amicizie e collaborazioni con i discendenti degli stessi compositori, anche Un “Analecta” est un recueil de pièces, un ensemble d’extraits ou de morceaux choisis. loro musicisti. J’ai composé cette oeuvre à la mémoire d’Ida Presti, que j’avais eu l’occasion de Ogni volta che un brano appariva dalla storia e veniva liberato dalla polvere del rencontrer. Elle a formé avec son mari, Alexandre Lagoya, un duo fort célèbre. Et tempo è stata una fonte di felicità e di nuove scoperte storiche molto importanti per il elle était l’une des plus grandes guitaristes de son époque, pour qui j’avais une grande mondo della chitarra. Ridare suono e vita a queste musiche dimenticate è per me una admiration. grande gioia che condivido con le persone che hanno reso possibile la realizzazione di Analecta est une suite de pièces pour un instrument que j’ai particulièrement aimé questo omaggio a Ida e con chi avrà il piacere e la curiosità di ascoltare il cd. à une certaine époque. Ceci est assez paradoxal, car j’ai été surtout organiste, et aussi A questo proposito ringrazio: Isabelle Presti, nipote di Ida, per l’amicizia ed il chef d’orchestre et chef de choeur. supporto, oltre che per il contributo storico, la quale mi ha permesso di vivere più da Il y a assez longtemps que je n’ai pas eu l’occasion d’entendre cette pièce, et je serai vicino la storia di Ida; très heureux, Cinzia, de l’écouter sous vos doigts. Jean-Bernard Morançon, figlio di Guy, che ha accolto con grande felicità la mia © Guy Morançon scelta di incidere “Analecta” ed ha facilitato la collaborazione con suo padre; Marybel Dessagnes, figlia di Gontran, per la stima ed amicizia e l’intento comune di riportare alla luce le opere di suo padre;
La rencontre dès 1954 entre Gontran Dessagnes et les deux guitaristes d’exception, contemporaneamente quattro note “mi” sulla tastiera della chitarra, cosa più unica Ida PRESTI et Alexandre LAGOYA s’est révélée majeure pour l’évolution du che rara , stupendo la platea dell’epoca, ho voluto dedicarle con affetto il brano répertoire classique. De cette amitié indéfectible vont naître des oeuvres fortes et “Quattro Mi” . atypiques pour solo, en hommage à Ida. Interpretando tutte queste composizioni si sente sempre nel cuore e nelle note Suivront des duos et deux concertos, les premiers pour deux guitares et orchestre l’alternarsi delle diverse fasi della sua vita, del suo essere artista e donna, delle sue jamais écrits dans l’Histoire de la musique, l’ensemble consacrant la virtuosité du grandi qualità musicali ma anche umane. prestigieux couple. © Cinzia Milani © Marybel Dessagnes, fille du compositeur Note Sui Brani In aggiunta alle composizioni di Ida Presti, ho scelto e ricercato una serie di brani dedicati a lei, composti oltre che dal marito Alexander Lagoya, da grandi compositori che a loro modo hanno avuto occasione di conoscerla ed apprezzarla. Ho voluto iniziare il cd presentando in musica la coppia Presti-Lagoya ,con il brano di Ida Presti “Danse Rythmique”, dedicato appunto al marito Alexander Lagoya e viceversa i due brani seguenti “Caprice” e “Reverie”, dedicati da Alexander alla moglie Ida. Alcuni compositori hanno scritto i loro brani quando Ida Presti era ancora in vita, come ad esempio Abloniz , la cui “Pequena Romanza” venne eseguita per la prima volta proprio da Ida Presti il 3 dicembre 1948 al Conservatorio di Parpignan; Poulenc che nel 1960 compose la famosissima “Sarabande” ed ancora il compositore greco Dimitris Fampas che scrisse 24 Studi da Concerto dedicati a Ida Presti (dall’ 1 al 12) ed Andrès Segovia (dal 13 al 24), ponendo così Ida Presti al pari di Andrès Segovia. Gontran Dessagnes fu una figura molto importante nello sviluppo compositivo dell’epoca e intesse una forte collaborazione ed amicizia con Ida ed Alexander; scrisse “Tendresse” a Ida nel 1954. Subito dopo la scomparsa improvvisa di Ida nel 1967, il compositore Guy Morançon nel mese di agosto scrisse “Analecta, in memoriam“, e più recentemente nel 1985 John W. Duarte omaggiò la grande chitarrista con “Idylle”. Spinta dall’ammirazione per la facilità con la quale Ida Presti riusciva a schiacciare
Cinzia Milani described by international press:
Cinzia has great musicianship along with a healthy, strong and brilliant technique. She
has a good sound, big. Listening to her play, you are aware that she is a unique young
musician. She is serious and thoroughly engrossed in the music and her performance.
You have the feeling that she loves playing even more than merely performing.
Guitar International
Miss Milani is something more than the usual talented youngster with flying fingers,
having a world of expression, musicianship, a feeling for her instrument, all combined
with a lovely and powerful tone, so rare even in older and more experienced players.
Classical Guitar
She has a confident and polished technique, a sensible sense of expression, and a very
sensitive approach to the music.
South Texas Classical Guitar
She took the audience on an emotional wonder ride; that it seems rare to find artists
like Milani with her intuition for the guitar; floated onto stage to captivate the smaller
than usual audience without playing one note. And when she did, she took them to a
realm were only well-played classical guitar music has the key to.
The Announcer
She is considered among the best young classical guitarists of her time
Grocott’s Mail
Recording: February 2017, Studio Bartok, Bernareggio (MI), Italy
Sound engineer: Raffaele Cacciola
Cinzia Milani plays guitars made by Gioachino Giussani and Gabriele Lodi, RC Strings
Photographer: Ian Stuart
Photo of Ida Presti: © Thanks to Presti Family
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