Brilliant Classics

Margola: Complete Sonatas for Solo Guitar

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Details

Composer
Franco Margola
Artist
Valerio Celentano
Format
CD
Discs
1
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Jul 17, 2026
Catalog #
BRI96856
UPC
5063758968560

About

Franco Margola (1908-1992) occupies a distinctive place in twentieth-century Italian music as a composer who combined modern clarity with a deep respect for classical balance and lyric expression. Born in Brescia, Margola was trained within the Italian conservatory tradition and soon developed a style often associated with neoclassicism: transparent textures, well-defined forms, and an elegant restraint that avoided both romantic excess and radical avant-garde experimentation. Throughout his career he wrote extensively for chamber ensembles, voice, and solo instruments, consistently favoring intimate musical dialogue and refined craftsmanship. Among his most important contributions to the guitar repertoire are the five Sonatas for guitar, composed over several decades. These works reflect Margola's close engagement with the instrument's idiomatic possibilities while maintaining a strong structural rigor. Rather than treating the guitar merely as a vehicle for virtuosic display, Margola emphasizes musical architecture, motivic development, and subtle harmonic color. Each sonata presents a different perspective on form and expression, yet all share a characteristic clarity of line and balance between melody and accompaniment. Stylistically, the guitar sonatas draw on classical models-especially the sonata principle and dance-like movements-while incorporating twentieth-century harmonic language, including modal inflections and gently dissonant sonorities. Rhythmic vitality and contrapuntal writing are frequent features, demanding both technical control and musical sensitivity from the performer. At the same time, Margola's lyrical impulse remains central: slow movements often unfold in long, singing phrases that highlight the guitar's natural warmth and expressive resonance. Played by Valerio Celentano, who graduated in classical guitar with honors from the Conservatory of Music "Giuseppe Martucci" in Salerno under the guidance of Antonio Grande. He has participated in several masterclasses with famous guitarists such as Alirio Díaz, Pavel Steidl, David Russell, Jyrki Myllärinen, Mario Gangi, and Carlo Marchione. He studied for several years with Oscar Ghiglia and Frédéric Zigante. He won prizes in many international music competitions. For Brilliant Classics, he recorded guitar works by Georges Migot.

Tracklist 15 tracks

  1. 1 I. Andante affettuoso 04:20
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Andante affettuoso
    Duration
    04:20
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  2. 2 II. Allegro molto espressivo 02:36
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegro molto espressivo
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  3. 3 III. Allegro robusto 02:51
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro robusto
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  4. 4 I. Andantino 02:40
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Andantino
    Duration
    02:40
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  5. 5 II. Adagio 02:51
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  6. 6 III. Allegro robusto 03:25
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Allegro robusto
    Duration
    03:25
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  7. 7 I. Grave 04:51
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Grave
    Duration
    04:51
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  8. 8 II. Moderato 04:48
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Moderato
    Duration
    04:48
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  9. 9 III. Presto 03:19
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  10. 10 I. Grave 04:16
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Grave
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  11. 11 II. Moderato 02:03
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Moderato
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  12. 12 III. Presto 03:27
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  13. 13 I. Andantino 03:05
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. Andantino
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  14. 14 II. Adagio 01:52
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano
  15. 15 III. Allegro 03:53
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    Franco Margola
    Performer
    Valerio Celentano