“…Antonio De Innocentis is in every respect an exceptional artist, one who must be included in the highest ranks of guitarists today…”
John Duarte, 1999
- Lorenzo Sorbo: For years you have been studying and performing the work of John W. Duarte, whom you have known personally. Could you outline a profile of the artist and the human relationship you have established with him over the years?
Antonio De Innocentis: I would like to start by saying that since my first steps in studying classical guitar I have known the name of John Duarte. Both for the famous "English Suite" - a piece dedicated to Segovia and known throughout the world, certainly Duarte's most popular composition - and for the cover notes of Segovia's records. For me and other colleagues of the time it was a legendary, almost mythological name. I didn't even have any idea of his physical features, but I recognized his absolute importance on the world guitar scene.
Fate wanted me to meet the Master in July of 1997 thanks to a dear English friend of mine, Chris Dell. At that time Chris was secretary of an important musical society, The Old Malthouse Music Society in Sawbridgeworth where I, the previous year, had given my debut British concert with the complete performance of “24 Capricci” (…and seven encores!).
For the following year's program I had also planned an opera by John Duarte but I was undecided between the famous "English Suite" - a piece dedicated to Segovia and known throughout the world, certainly Duarte's most popular composition – and “Fantasia and Fugue on Torre Bermeja”, also composed for Segovia but never performed by the great guitarist. In the end I decided on the lesser known piece and that was my luck! In fact this led the Maestro to decide to come to my concert. Jack (as his friends called him) later confessed to me that if I had opted for the "English Suite" he would not have come. Instead he was very curious to meet that "madman" (textual!) who was playing a piece that he personally hadn't listened to for at least thirty years.
However, the concert went very well, despite the great excitement and a few days later Jack even invited me to his house, together with dear Chris Dell. My personal friendship with Jack, although not long-standing (unfortunately he passed away in December 2004), was nevertheless very intense, counting numerous episodes and events that I personally count among the most important of my professional career.
Briefly, I will remember my participation (at the personal invitation of Dorothy, Jack's wife) in the concert of his 80th birthday which took place at the Venezuelan Embassy in London on 7 October 1999. On the occasion I played, at his specific request, “Preludio, Song and Toccata op. 38” (see related video on YouTube – link?).
In 2000 he composed the “Twelve Studies op. 140”, which I premiered at the Oatridge International Festival (Scotland) in 2001, in his presence. Later, I also recorded the world premiere of the work on my album “Premiere!” (Flamant Records, 2004).
In 2002 we received an extremely welcome gift from Jack, as he even came to visit our home in Caserta, staying with us for a week.
- How did the idea for this album come about?
Antonio De Innocentis: In the years following Jack's disappearance, a strong friendship developed between Chris duarte and me, also thanks to the invitations he extended to me on the occasion of some important celebratory events organized for his father. By the way, Chris was visiting our house too!
However, in 2020 Chris told me about this important project of his to create a record series for the prestigious Dutch label Brilliant Classics dedicated to his father's works. The first volume would have contained a series of solo works which were entrusted to the talented Nicola Montella and I was hired to perform four works in duo with Nicola (two world premiere recordings) for guitar duo. Thus was born Belfort Guitar Duo! We recorded the songs in 2021 and the record came out in 2022.
As soon as this first volume was recorded, Chris informed me of his intention to produce the second volume of the series, which would contain the Concerto for guitar and orchestra (which was then entrusted to me), the concerto for two guitars and orchestra (always performed in duo with Nicola), two traditional songs, one Irish and the other Scottish, again for guitar and orchestra (performed by Nicola and me respectively) under the expert orchestral direction of Maestro Gian Luigi Zampieri. Finally, the further work to be recorded would be a quartet for guitar and string trio, which Chris again entrusted to me.
- Chris Duarte has taken up his father's artistic legacy by taking care of the publication of his works. What was his contribution to the diffusion and knowledge of Duarte, also regarding this latest album?
Antonio De Innocentis: Chris is dedicating himself, also assisted by his wife Anne, to the publication of his father's works, both in score and in recordings. He knows a huge number of famous guitarists who were friends of his father and who were in constant contact with him. He has rediscovered autographs of works whose existence was not known and is also reorganizing a precious collection of letters in which historical figures and events from the world of the guitar are mentioned. Among other things, an incredible and very flattering thing is that Chris found a letter from the great one Julian Bream a Jack Duarte in which he refers to the concert for the composer's 80th birthday held in London on 7 October 1999. Well, in this letter Bream, talking about the success of this concert which saw the participation of fifteen international musicians - myself among of them! – At a certain point he says: “… I also thought that the Neapolitan guitarist gave a fantastic interpretation of your pieces…”. Truly a great gift from life!
- Duarte often uses a tonal musical language, enriched by elements of popular and even romantic tradition. From a guitar point of view, how did you prepare?
Antonio De Innocentis: Yes, in fact the Maestro's compositions abound with elaborations of folk songs and references to pieces taken from the repertoire of the past. But we also have very original languages, such as in the “Prelude, Canto and Toccata op. 38”, where there are even elements derived from traditional Indian music. All this always with a wise and total knowledge of the expressive and technical possibilities of the instrument.
- Can you tell us how the recording sessions went and what it was like working in London with the orchestra and quartet?
Antonio De Innocentis: The album contains two concerts for guitar and orchestra: one for solo guitar and the other for two guitars. Furthermore there is the quartet for guitar and string trio and finally two songs – one Scottish and the other Irish – for guitar and orchestra. On August 2, 2022 from the morning and throughout the day we recorded the four works with the orchestra. In practice, I arrived there and, without even warming up, after tuning we started recording the Concerto for two guitars, together with Nicola Montella and under the guidance of Maestro Gian Luigi Zampieri. Subsequently, on August 4th we recorded the quartet. Three weeks before this important event I had started chemotherapy to treat the lymphoma that affected me. In fact, in the photos you can see that I have almost no hair or beard anymore. Among other things, I wasn't well, due to a series of pains (and other things) that afflicted me throughout the week I spent in London. The icing on the cake was that the day I had to return to Italy I had a hemorrhage and my friends had to rush me to the emergency room... Despite all these "sides", it was one of the most important weeks of my life. life and my guitar career and it will always remain an indelible memory!
7. What do you think of the current concert scene regarding classical guitar? Are there any new guitarists you particularly appreciate?
Antonio De Innocentis: Throughout my existence and my almost fifty-year career, I have seen the international guitar scene develop and enrich itself enormously. There are also numerous guitar events and festivals where the guitar is always present. Not to mention the presence of many young virtuosos of the instrument. Citing all the guitarists of the latest generations that I appreciate and respect would be difficult and too long... I had the fortune and pleasure of listening to some of them live, such as the Ukrainian Marko Topchii, the French Jeremy Jouve and our compatriot Andrea de Vitis. But we cannot forget Ana Vidovic, Irina Kulikova, Aniello Desiderio, Jorge Caballero, Nicola Montella, and many others!
8. Future projects?
Antonio De Innocentis: Last July I signed a new contract (the third) with Brilliant Classics for the creation of a CD dedicated to transcriptions of works by Italian harpsichordists of the 700th century. Right now I'm finishing the transcription part and then starting the actual study of the songs. The authors range from Frescobaldi, Zipoli, Benedetto Marcello, Domenico Scarlatti, Cimarosa and Paradisi. I am confident that I will be able to record the CD by 2024 and then await its release during 2025.
Curriculum by Maestro Antonio De Innocentis: born in 1961, graduated 'Summa cum Laude' from the “Cimarosa” Conservatory of Avellino. Later, he studied at the Vienna Conservatory and the Salzburg Mozarteum.
In 1981 he won 1st prize at the Pesaro National Competition and at the IV Bardolino International Festival. In the 1984 won 1st prize at the 4th National Competition “P: Taraffo” in Genoa.
Since its debut (1980), his concert activity has led him to play throughout Europe and the USA. He was the first guitarist in the world to have performed the entire "24 Capricci" by N. Paganini in a single concert (Avellino, 1992).
He is also the dedicatee and first performer of numerous works dedicated to him by European, North American and South American composers, including the great English composer John W. Duarte, Marisa Aiossa, Luigi Arbolino, Jonatas Batista Neto, John Bent, Pasquale Bifulco, Valentina Casesa, Ursula Ditchburn, Larry Cooperman, John Oster, Marcello Parisi, Neil Smith, Giuseppe Torrisi and Giovanni Zaccari.
He has recorded seven CDs for Fiammant Records: “Guitar Recital” (1997), “Premiere!” (2004), “Live at Kellie Castle” (2004), “Return to Glenmore” (2005), “24 Caprices” (2010), “Vive la France!” in duo with Maestro G: Zaccari (2011), “Dialogues” (2013). This latest CD also contains one of his original works, “Suite per Giuseppina”, composed in 2009 for a theater work. In 2014 his album of Paganini's “24 Capricci” was republished by the dotGuitar label in digital format on the major world platforms, such as Amazon, iTunes, etc.
He has also recorded two CDs for the prestigious Dutch label Brilliant Classics.
In 2022 The first volume of the record series dedicated to John W. Duarte has been released, created together with Maestro Nicola Montella (Belfort Guitar Duo).
In 2023 the second volume of the Duarte series has been released, with the first ever recordings of the Maestro's concerts for guitar and orchestra, plus other works, conducted by Maestro Gian Luigi Zampieri.
Antonio has played for numerous prestigious musical and cultural institutions. Among them: the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) Festival in California (USA, 2001), the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain in Liverpool, the Gliwice International Guitar Festival (Poland, 2007 and 2015), the Bergen Gitarekspressen Festival (Norway, 2007), the Fundación Juan March in Madrid (Spain, 1991, 1993, 1995), the Niccolò Paganini International Guitar Festival in Parma, (Italy, 2018), the ExCorde Guitar Festival in Molina de Aragon (Spain, 2019 and 2021), Arizona State University in Tempe (Ariz., USA, 2002), the University of Missouri in Kansas City (Missouri, USA, 2003), the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland, 2005), the Oatridge International Guitar Festival (Scotland, 2001), the Arcady Silver Anniversary Summer Music Festival (Maine, USA, 2005) and many more.
In October 1999 he played (the only Italian) at John Duarte's 80th birthday concert in London.
In June 2009 was invited by the composer's son, Chris Duarte, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Maestro's birth with a concert for guitar and orchestra. On the program, “A Tudor Fancy” by Duarte and “Fantasia para un Gentilhombre” by Rodrigo.
In October 2019 he took part in the concert for the centenary of the birth of John Duarte, together with his daughter Fiammetta (singer), at Kings Place in London.
His interpretations have been broadcast by various international television and radio stations, including RTVE España, Vatican Radio, Valley Public Radio (Fresno, CA, USA), Iowa University Public Radio (Iowa City, Maine USA), Del Mar TV (California, USA).
Antonio plays guitars specially built for him by Enrico Piretti (1981, 1984), Thomas Humphrey (1989), Roberto Sansone (2008) and Leonardo De Gregorio (2022).
