François de Fossa

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François de Fossa

François de Fossa (also: Francesc de Paula de Fossà , born August 31, 1775 in Perpignan , † June 3, 1849 in Paris ) was a French officer , composer and guitarist .

Military career

De Fossa initially served in the Légion des Pyrénées , took over administrative tasks in Spain , traveled to Mexico (1798–1803), was then stationed again in Spain and in 1813 fled with the Napoleonic troops from Spain to France . Until his retirement (1844) he took part in the campaign in Catalonia (1823), most recently as battalion commander, and in the war against Algeria (1830). In 1825 he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor .

Musical ambitions

Similar to his contemporaries Fernando Sor or Federico Moretti , de Fossa also worked intensively with the guitar during his military service. In a letter to his sister dated March 9, 1808, he even briefly describes his ambitions for a professional musician career. He was a close friend of the guitarist Dionisio Aguado , whose guitar school he translated into French. His compositions show a high level of virtuosity and in-depth knowledge of typesetting. De Fossa's music is stylistically indebted to the Italian manner, influenced by the music of Luigi Boccherini . In addition to his own compositions, he has published a number of transcriptions of popular classical works, including nine "Grand Duos" based on string quartets by Joseph Haydn .

Compositions (selection)

  • La Tirolienne, op.1
  • Première Fantaisie op.5 (guitar solo)
  • Cinquième Fantaisie sur l'air de Folies d'Espagne op.12 (guitar solo)
  • Quatre Divertissements op.13 (guitar solo)
  • Trois Trios Concertantes op.18 (violin, cello, guitar)
  • Trois Quatours op.19 (2 guitars, violin, cello)
  • Trois Grand Duos based on works by Haydn.

Processing (selection)

  • Ouverture du Jeune Henri de Méhul (2 guitars)
  • Dionisio Aguado: Méthode Complète pour la Guitare. (= Escuela de Guitarra, Segundo Edición, corregida y aumentada. ) Edited and translated by François de Fossa, Paris 1826.

Bibliography

  • Matanya Ophee: Luigi Boccherini's Guitar Quintets - New Evidence - To which is added, for the first time, a reliable biography of François de Fossa, his portrait, and a checklist of his know compositions. Editions Orphée, 1981, ISBN 0-936186-06-2 (Engl.)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Matanya Ophee: Luigi Boccherini's Guitar Quintet - New Evidence - To All which is added, for the first time, a reliable biography of François de Fossa, his portrait, and a checklist of his Compositions know. Editions Orphée, ISBN 0-936186-06-2 (Engl.)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Fossa, François de
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French officer, composer and guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH August 31, 1775
PLACE OF BIRTH Perpignan
DATE OF DEATH June 3, 1849
Place of death Paris