Compiling the Zani de Ferranti catalogue

This article was written by Marc Van de Cruys and originally appeared translated into Japanese in the Japanese Classical Guitar publication Gendai Guitar (pg.36-41, No. 393, 11/1997)
Since this article and Marc’s book were first published there have been some additional discoveries not included in this list (besides those I added in 2003 and detailed below). When the list below is updated I’ll make a note in this posting.

Marc Van de Cruys:
When I started out writing the biography of Marco Aurelio Zani de Ferranti (1801-1878) in 1987, I had already decided that I would include a catalogue of his works, both musical and literary.

I based this decision of the prediction of Thomas F. Heck made in 1970 in the preface to his catalogue of guitar works of Mauro Giuliani who stated that at the time (almost thirty years ago) the need for catalogues of guitar works would be felt increasingly. For once again the guitar boasted a renewed interest and commercial publications, record sleeves and concert reviews would in their own unavoidable manner sprout and multiply mistakes and ignorance.

Although record sleeves are now replaced by CD-booklets, this statement is still true to this day. Therefore it is essential for the sincere guitarist and/or guitar-scholar to be able to fall back on a reliable working-instrument.

Whereas the biography posed several problems which proved not at all easy to solve, in my attempt to compose a catalogue for the known musical works of Marco Aurelio Zani de Ferranti, I faced a sheer insurmountable problem. Marco Aurelio apparently had the habit to want to start with a clean slate with every new publication of his works. Which all start in their own right with the opus number 1.

In itself this seems logical and not at all dramatic, were it not that he also had a tendency to classify his works in another manner, omitting certain works and adding others, thereby changing the originally attributed opus number of the composition over again. Moreover, the different opus numbers of the manuscripts are dissimilar from the various published versions. Thus there are, for example, 4 different works with the opus number 2. Of course, and on top of this, there are also compositions without an opus number.

To prevent the creation of insane situations by attributing suffixes like a, b, c or bis, ter and quater and adding a labyrinth of all sorts of references to other numbers ad infinitum, which simply cannot be the purpose of a catalogue, I eventually decided in favor of a personal system to classify and number the works. In doing so, I was able to more or less chronologically arrange the compositions per group, creating some sort of chronological/thematic catalogue.

Regarding this group classification I did not proceed in the, in musicological circles, commonly accepted way, by arranging them for example from (large) orchestra over smaller strength to chamber music and finally to solo instruments. On the contrary, I started from the point of view that this catalogue in the first place should be a working instrument for guitarists and/or guitar scholars. Hence the group classification is solely directed to the guitar. If in the future the need for a different categorization should arise, there can always be created a new catalogue.

The classification I used is as follows:

1. Guitar solo

2. Guitar duo

3. Guitar trio

4. Guitar and flute

5. Guitar and piano

6. Guitar and string quartet

7. Guitar and voice

8. Theoretical works/essays on the guitar

9. Other instruments:

91. Voice and piano

92. Violin, cello and piano

93. Piano solo

The numeration of the works consists of a number of three figures, which for the sake of convenience we will further refer to as the number. The first digit is the number of the group (thus all works for guitar solo begin with 1), followed by a chronological sequential serial number of two digits, starting from 01. Works that are published in several parts, have each, individually, been given a -number.

To be able to quickly look up a composition on basis of the title, an alphabetical index was drawn up, including deviant and/or alternative titles of the same composition. Behind the title one finds a reference to the corresponding -number which allows to situate the work rapidly within a group (from the first digit), and to look up the information about it in the catalogue under the matching number.

The chronological ordering per group is based on a number of parameters. In some cases the exact date of publication is known (as with the 10 Schott editions for example) which provides a solid base. From concert programs and reviews I was able to determine in which year/month certain compositions were performed for the first time and finally, Zani de Ferranti also left us some clues. Two opus lists for example. One that was printed in the Grandes Variations sur la Tyrolienne de Guillaume Tell. Op.19 [MVDC129] and another that was published in the Journal de La Haye. Also the correspondence of Marco Aurelio with his son Cesar provided some clues.

The only drawback on this system of chronological ordering is that when unknown works should be discovered in the future, they will have to be added to the back of the list, non regarding the fact that they may date from an earlier period.

The arrangement of the information in the catalogue is as follows:

In the left-hand corner is the -number. Under that is the title [Ti] of the composition. This is either the most frequently used, or the most meaningful in the case of equal use. Existing alternative titles [AT] however, are also given.

When it is a work that has been traced an incipit is given of the first measures of the composition. If it concerns a work that opens with an introduction, incipits are given for both the introduction as well as the theme. The incipits have not been edited, they have been literally taken over from the oldest published edition or, in case no published version has been traced, the oldest available ms. For the same reasons as mentioned before, only the guitar works are preceded by incipits.

For the manuscript [MS], first [1e] and later [2e] editions, the relevant information is given like title page, number of pages (in which number the title page is always included), date, plate number, location. All manuscripts are considered to be autographs, unless indicated otherwise (between square brackets).

Wherever I felt it was necessary, I added a comment [Cm] at the end of the work’s description.

The standard RISM (Repertoire International des Sources Musicales) library sigla were used for the location of original copies. In the event that no siglum was available for a specific location, one was made up in the same fashion. The sigla and abbreviations used in the catalogue are reproduced in two summaries that conclude this introduction.

The catalogue only deals with known musical works of Marco Aurelio. Known by literary reference or recovered. Regarding the literary references it must be mentioned that only those have been taken which can undoubtedly be attributed to Marco Aurelio. Dubious literary references such as the transcription of Agustin Barrios of an Air de ballet by Ferranti and the Notions elementaires pour servir de preparation a l’étude de l’harmonie et de l’accompagnement, published in Paris by Choudens fils, for instance, are not taken up in the catalogue. Actually, there is more reason to attribute these works to Lodois Ferranti, a contemporary of Marco Aurelio and also musician and composer.

Although inquiries were made in nearly 250 libraries over the whole world, among them of course, the most important, and their data was completed with information from many private collections this is by no means a reason to assume that the catalogue is as complete as can be. I suspect that there are still numerous unknown works in the possession of private persons, descendants of Marco Aurelio, or of his pupils or their family. This is illustrated by the fact that all the works that are currently in the Brussels Conservatoire, where a gift of one of the descendants of Marco Aurelio’s pupil Seraphine Froidmont, the dedicatee of the Grandes Variations sur la Tyrolienne de Guillaume Tell [129]. They only came in possession of the Conservatoire in the late nineteen twenties and they are by no means the legacy of Marco Aurelio himself from his teaching days at this Institution as is commonly believed.

Surprisingly, the inquiries at libraries proved more fruitful than for instance the reading of contemporary catalogues, although on the other hand much unknown information can be learned from these. I learned for example about the existence of an unknown work, 4 walses, of Giulio Regondi by browsing through the catalogue of Launer.

We also know that Paula Zani de Ferranti wrote to Emma Miller, that she possessed all the works of her grandfather including, among others, a number of concertos.

Regarding these concertos however, one should not expect too much. Probably it merely concerns compositions for guitar and quator, of which I was able to retrace only one, regretfully perhaps the least interesting.

Nevertheless we know, by his own admission, that Marco Aurelio wrote at least “12 concert pieces” for the guitar and no less than “50 songs”, whereas, until now, I have been able to identify only seven works for guitar and quator and no more than ten songs.

Finally, it needs mentioning that certain works contain more than one composition. In whole Marco Aurelio must have composed more than three hundred pieces of music, more than half of them for guitar.

For the sake of interested guitarists and scholars, I have included a short list of Marco Aurelio’s guitar works as they appear in the catalogue. To make the short list more interesting I have marked the compositions which are assumed to be lost with an asterisk (*). Compositions that have only been found in manuscript form are marked by the addition (ms).

Of course, some works are incomplete. This is also marked between brackets.

As it is not published yet (I hope that both biography and catalogue will be published by the end of this year), I would like to invite anyone who knows about compositions that are not in the list to bring this to my attention, so that they can be added to the list. Suggestions to improve the catalogue are also welcome.

7/19/2012 UPDATE: MVDC numbers 192-195 have been updated. A complete set of these works have been found in the Arenberg Foundation archives. The complete set contains up to volume 8 so 4 additional entries in the list would be needed.

5/3/2003 UPDATE: MVDC numbers 144 and 196 have been updated. Both were found on the Library of Congress’ “Music for the Nation” website. It appears that all Ferranti works on the site were deposited in the New York City Clerk’s Office in 1846, although MVDC144 does not explicitly state this.

144: Andante de Beethoven – M1.A12Z vol. 86 Case Class original bound volumes
196: Souvenir de Fanny Elssler, The much Admired Cachucha – M1.A12I vol. 14 Case Class original bound volumes

* = LOST works

1. Guitar Solo
101: Tema con variazioni.
102: 8 Walses d’une difficulte progressive.*
103: La marche de Wittgenstein
104: Pot-pourri sur des airs de Rossini.(ms)
105: Prelude de J. H. Muller.
106: Variations brillantes sur le choeur des chasseurs de Robin des Bois
107: Etude des tons favoris de la guitare.
108: 44 Exercices dans tous les tons de la guitare.
109: Fantaisie Variee sur l’Air de Caraffa: O cara memoria!
110: Fantaisie Variee sur l’Air de Cenerentola: Non piu mesta accanto al fuoco.
111: Fantaisie Variee sur la Romance d’Otello: Assisa appie d’un salice.
112: La Ronde des Fees. (version 1) (version 2)
113: Fantaisie variee sur un theme favori du Freischutz.
114: Fantaisie Variee sur la Tyrolienne de Sophie Gail: Celui qui sut toucher mon coeur.(ms)
115: Fantaisie Variee sur la Cavatine favorite de Tancredi.(ms)
116: Six Melodies Nocturnes.
117: Nouvelles Variations sur l’Air Tyrolien.(ms)
118: Simples Variations sur une Melodie originale.(ms)
119: Fantaisie Variee sur l’Air: La robe legere, de Marie.(ms)
120: 24 Caprices pour servir a l’étude de la Guitare divisees en trois parties. 1iere partie.
121: 24 Caprices pour servir a l’étude de la Guitare divisees en trois parties. 2ieme partie.*
122: 24 Caprices pour servir a l’étude de la Guitare divisees en trois parties. 3ieme partie.*
123: Fantaisie variee sur un air favori d’Aline.(ms)
124: Variations sur la Hongroise.(ms)
125: Fantaisie Variee sur une marche favorite du Siege de Corinthe.(ms)
126: 12 Walses caracteristiques divisees en deux parties. 1iere partie.(ms)
127: 12 Walses caracteristiques divisees en deux parties. 2ieme partie.*
128: Six Variations sur la Tyrolienne.
129: Grandes Variations sur la Tyrolienne Favorite de Guillaume Tell.
130: Fantaisie Variee sur la Romance Favorite: Un castel d’antique structure.
131: Niaiserie Musicale sur un air favori de la Famille Suisse.
132: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Premiere partie.*
133: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Deuxieme partie.*
134: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Troisieme partie.*
135: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Quatrieme partie.*
136: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Cinquieme partie.*
137: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Sixieme partie.*
138: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Septieme partie.*
139: Faust. Poeme musical en huit parties. Huitieme partie: Nuit de Walpurgis.(ms)
140: Rondoletto a la Kosaque.*
141: God Save the King.(ms)
142: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 1: Rossini.*
143: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 2: Weber.*
144: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 3: Beethoven.
145: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 4: Bellini.*
146: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 5: Mozart.*
147: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 6: Masini.*
148: Sept themes arranges et varies pour l’étude. Numero 7: Air Russe.*
149: Vingt-six divertissements, composes ou reduits, et divises en 4 livraisons. Numero 1.*
150: Vingt-six divertissements, composes ou reduits, et divises en 4 livraisons. Numero 2.*
151: Vingt-six divertissements, composes ou reduits, et divises en 4 livraisons. Numero 3.*
152: Vingt-six divertissements, composes ou reduits, et divises en 4 livraisons. Numero 4.*
153: Fantaisie variee sur l’air: Wann i in der Fruh austeh’.
154: Fantaisie Variee sur l’Air Anglais: Oh! no we never mention her.(ms)
155: Nocturne sur La derniere pensee de Weber.
156: Divertissement sur trois romances anglaises favorites.
157: TAEDET ANIMAM MEAM VITAE MEAE*
158: Souvenir de La Haye.*
159: Fantaisie Variee sur la chansonette du Carnaval de Venise.
160: Fantaisie Variee sur la Calabraise.*
161: Fantaisie Variee sur le Volkslied.*
162: Six Walses Caracteristiques.(incomplete) (ms)
163: Huit pieces faciles tirees de La Muette de Portici.(ms)
164: Ma derniere fantaisie.
165: Loin de toi.
166: Six Nocturnes Bibliques. (Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
167: La stretta de l’ouverture de Guillaume Tell.*
168: Olla Podrida. *
169: Fantaisie variee sur des themes favoris Americains.*
170: La Serenade de Francois Schubert.
171: Fleurs de valses.*
172: Sicilienne Originale.*
173: Souvenirs de la Traviata.*
174: Grandes Variations sur la Marseillaise.*
175: Chant du depart.*
176: Souvenirs d’Oberon.*
177: Souvenirs d’Acteon.
178: Fantaisie Variee sur l’air Partant pour la Syrie.*
179: Souvenir du Trovatore.(ms)
180: Un air des rues.(ms)
181: Thekla.(ms)
182: Romance de la Favorite.(ms)
183: El panuelo de mi majo.(ms)
184: Menuet de Don Giovanni.(ms)
185: Transcriptions favorites pour guitare. Premiere serie.(ms)
186: Transcriptions favorites pour guitare. Deuxieme serie.(ms)
187: Fragments melodiques pour guitare. Livre 1.(incomplete) (ms)
188: Fragments melodiques pour guitare. Livre 2.(incomplete) (ms)
189: Fragments melodiques pour guitare. Livre 3. (ms)
190: Fragments melodiques pour guitare. Livre 4.*
191: Fragments melodiques pour guitare. Livre 5. (ms)
192: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 1. Freischütz (de Weber).
193: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 2. Il Barbier di Siviglia (de Rossini).
194: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 3. La Muette de Portici (Auber).
195: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 4. Tancredi (de Rossini).
???: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 5. Fidelio (de Beethoven).
???: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 6. Il Barbier di Siviglia (Rossini).
???: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 7. La Dame Blanche (Boieldieu).
???: Souvenirs Populaires des meilleurs operas Italiens, Allemands et Francais. No. 8. Oberon (Ch. M. de Weber).
196: Souvenir de Fanny Elssler, The much Admired Cachucha

2. Guitar duo
201: Concertante pour deux guitares. (ms)
202: Trois Souvenirs de Moïse. (ms)
203: Chanson d’amour. (ms)
204: Barcarolle. (ms)
205: Tu est le repos. (ms)
206: Nocturne. (ms)

3. Guitar trio
301: Polonaise Concertante.(incomplete?) (ms)

4. Guitar and flute
401: Fantaisie variee sur l’Ouverture de Guillaume Tell. (ms)

5. Guitar and piano
501: Trois souvenirs de Moise.*
502: Concertino. (ms)
503: Caprice pour guitare et piano. (ms)
504: La Ronde des Fees.*
505: Scene et valse du Sabbat.*
506: Sicilienne originale.*
507: Ma derniere fantaisie.*
508: Cenerentola.*
509: Grand Rondo.

6. Guitar and string quartet
601: Trois Souvenirs de Moise.*
602: God save the King.
603: Rondo Fantastique.*
604: Fantaisie variee sur la chansonette du Carnaval de Venise.*
605: Grand Concerto.*
606: Six Melodies Bibliques.*
607: Grand Rondo de Concert.*

7. Voice and guitar
701: Chant Scandinave.
702: Les plaintes de Timbrio.
703: Adieu pour toujours.(only guitar accomp. by Ferranti)

8.Theoretical Works/Essays on the guitar
801: Essaie sur l’art de jouer de la guitare.*
802: La guitare.
803: Methode complete de guitare.(incomplete) (ms)