Celestino Piaggio, Argentine composer was born in Concordia, Entre Rios, on December 20th. 1886 and died in Buenos Aires on October 26th. 1931. In his hometown, under the guidance of his father, Victro Piaggio, began his musical education which included practicing two instruments: the piano and violin. At 10 years old he was a part, as a violinist,in the orchestra of one of the many Italian Opera company that go round inland in the country. In 1900, his family settled in the Argentina capital and there he continued his studies at the Buenos Aires Músic Conservatory. At this university he had Julián Aguirre as a piano teacher , Andrew Gaos as a violin teacher, Carlos Marchal ( in musical groups) and the founder and director of the conservatory, Alberto Williams ( in harmony, counterpoint, composition and orchestral conducting). In 1908 he won by opposition the Europe Grand Prix, which allowed him to continue his studies in Paris . There he entered the Schola Cantorum, which allowed him to study composition with Vincent d'Indy, in a private way he improved his piano technique with the famous Ricardo Viñes. The outbreak of the First World War makes a holiday trip to Romania, during the year 1914, in an enforced stay in that country. Piaggio began giving musical lessons to earn his living, but thanks to his conditions soon arouse interest and admiration of the artistic community in Bucharest. He gave piano recitals and was appointed as the pianist of the Royal Court and member of the jury in the Bucharest Conservatory,later developing a major musical work with which he forged a solid reputation in the host country. In 1919 he returned to Paris to enter the course of dramatic music that dictated d'Indy at the Schola Cantorum and thereby end his career. The following year he traveled to Germany to complete his studies in orchestral conducting with Arthur Nikisch Gewandhaus in Leipzig. Acceding to the request of friends, Piaggio returned to Romania to conduct a concert and give a piano recital devoted to Beethoven. In Bucharest they tried to hold him offering the permanent direction of symphony Sundays concerts and became professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music. But Piaggio rejected it tempted by the proposal of his former teacher, Alberto Williams, who wrote him offering a teaching position at the conservatory and the opportunity to take part in the profits thereof. In 1921 he returned to Argentina, arriving in Buenos Aires on February 21st. Since March 1st. of that year took over his teaching duties at the Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires, where heI would become assistant manager. From then until his death in 1931, Piaggio would begin in his country, an important activity as a pianist and orchestra conductor in addition to serving in various artistic institutions in which he took part. Celestino Piaggio`s musical work is short, and like most Argentine composers is forgotten. Only the Overture in C minor -premiered in Bucharest on 6/12/1915- and the Piano Sonata in C sharp minor, especially the latter, have survived and are heard very occasionally. The beautiful piano sonata, of faultless structure and refined musical taste, is part of the aesthetic trend of the Schola Cantorum and it manifests markedly away from nationalism, which was the musical aesthetic that reigned in those years in Argentina. The only manifestation of nationalism, if so it could be called - is the Spanish translation of the indications of the tempo in the sonata. This work was written between 1912 and 1913, when Piaggio studied at the Schola Cantorum and it was praised by Vincent d'Indy. The Four Tempos of the sonata are: 1.- Animado // 2.- Andando // 3.- SCHERZO : Vivo // 4.- FINALE : Alegre

• published: 05 Jan 2014
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