Works by Francesco Calegari

This table represents the most complete catalog of works by Francesco Calegari. Not much detail about his life is known besides his works and a single concert advertised for July 24, 1815 in Leipzig. He published most of his works with opus numbers through Hofmeister in Leipzig, beginning in 1813 and none appear after 1818. He seems to have returned to Florence in 1818 as his only work for guitar was published by Ricordi that year. Ricordi lists music for piano published by an F. Calegari from 1827 through 1838 but it is unknown whether this is the same composer.

The most complete biography of Calegari was written by Philip Bone in The Guitar and Mandolin without change between the first and second editions.

CALEGARI, Francesco, an Italian guitarist, who was born in Florence at the end of the eighteenth century, but who spent a considerable part of his life in Germany, where he taught the guitar and published many of his compositions. As a guitar virtuoso he made concert tours, visiting Milan and other cities of the north of Italy, and he also appeared in his native city with success, and a few years later travelled through Germany, playing in Leipzig and Brunswick. He visited Paris, and finally returned to Leipzig, where he resided as a teacher and composer. Calegari has arranged numerous operatic selections for two guitars, and violin and guitar, and is the author of two volumes, each containing eight operatic selections for solo guitar, the latter entitled : Il dilettante di chitarra, were published by Ricordi, Milan. His other published compositions consist of a method for the guitar, fantasias, interludes, rondos and dances for guitar alone. Op. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 17 are guitar solos, which were published respectively by Hofmeister, Leipzig, and Ricordi, Milan, and by other editors of less repute in Florence and Brunswick. Op. 13 and 15 are duos for two guitars, and Op. 16 is a Polonaise of Pleyel, arranged by Calegari for violin and guitar, published by Hofmeister, Leipzig.

Mentions of his concerts in cities besides Leipzig have not been located. The publisher in Brunswick mentioned by Bone is Spehr. Only op. 13 from this publisher has been located. Op. 15 Wie die Würfel fallen, ein Scherz der Tonsetzkunst, um mit 3 Würfeln leichte Walzer zu setzen [How the dice fall, a joke from the art of composition to set light waltzes with 3 dice] appears to be a unique publication for guitar. While examples of publications using dice as compositional devices have been located, none so far have been located for guitar. The 3 Walzer in manuscript in the Rischel and Birket-Smith Collection could possibly be this work, although they could be from op. 14. Print versions will have to be located to ascertain this connection.

The work in The Giulianiad, Andante con Var., has not been located. There are some similarities to his other works but none are identical.