Carlo Domeniconi
The Italian guitarist and composer Carlo Domeniconi, born in 1947, is considered one of the most renowned and important contemporary composers for his instrument.
His work, which now spans 50 years, is primarily dedicated to guitar music, be it for solo or ensemble performance, and encompasses a wide variety of styles, including old forms as well as global elements.
Domeniconi’s first compositions were an attempt to expand the meagre repertoire of the guitar and to give the instrument a few aspects that did not come into play during its development (e.g. late Romanticism – Impressionism).
He achieved international fame with the composition Koyunbaba. However, the most important aspect of this piece is that it represents for the first time in his compositions a kind of structural framework (template) which can provide the free space for players who feel at home in it. This spirit also resulted in such works as Trilogy, Gita, Homage to Jimi Hendrix, Toccatas I-VII, to mention just a few.
An important feature of his music is the constant search for new viewpoints and a continual exploration of the guitar. The music is tailor-made for the instrument, idiomatic.
"The time of the self-deprecating ‘classical’ guitar is over. It is time to see the guitar as it really is: a strong, sonorous instrument with a richness of colour that knows no equal."
