The quotation that the guitar is like a miniature orchestra is NOT from Mozart. The quotation is NOT from Beethoven. The quotation is in an essay about the guitar that BERLIOZ wrote for an obscure Parisian journal of the arts, _Debats_ (8 June 1855).
While we're on the subject, there is no evidence that Chopin declared that the only sound lovelier than one guitar is two. That seems to be a paraphrase of something Mozart also did NOT say, "The only thing worse than one flute, is two." Beethoven is sometimes said to have attended a guitar recital by Giuliani. If he did, of course, he heard nothing! He even wrote a little note to one of his Viennese publishers, asking "please give my regards to Giuliani." Of course, the publisher's Giuliani might be the guy who polished up the brass on the big front door. The guitarist Giuliani played 'cello in the first performance of the Seventh Symphony, but I imagine Beethoven didn't hear him that time, either. He wasn't asked back to play in the Eighth. The point? There's no factual basis for the belief common in the guitar world that Giuliani influenced Beethoven. They may never even have spoken to one another. Oh yes, I also doubt that Schubert had a guitar hanging on the wall above his bed. This should end Guitar Mythology 101 for tonite. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jon Murphy To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [email protected] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2005 3:40 PM Subject: Re: OT: Mozart for guitar Also OT, In my aging memory there is a quote from Mozart (probably apochryphal). "The guitar is an orchestra unto itself". I have no idea where I saw it, or heard it, but it was many years ago so I have lost the context. If the quote is accurate then it might imply that Mozart might have had guitar sounds in mind when writing for piano. Best, Jon To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
