Carlo Munier (1859 - 1911)

Carlo Munier (July 15, 1859 - February 10, 1911)
was an Italian mandolinist who advocated for the
mandolin's acknowledgement among as an instrument
of classical music. Maestro Silvio Ranieri in 1925
described Munier as one of the principal pioneers
in the revival of the mandolin repertoire - a
repertoire that with Munier began to move away
from the limitations of the popular style
(waltzes, serenades and fashionable marches) in
order to approach the "art music" forms.

Carlo Gennaro Pasquale Munier was born in Naples
on July 15, 1859, son of Vincenzo Munier, a
printer, and Rosa Vinaccia. Orphaned at a very
young age, he was adopted by the relatives of his
maternal grandfather, the noted luthier Pasquale
Vinaccia. The Vinaccia family of Naples had been
active as instrument makers since the last half of
17th century, and Pasquale is considered today one
of the fathers of the modern mandolin for his
technical innovations for the instrument. Munier
acknowledged the closeness of his relationship
with the Vinaccia family in his several references
to Pasquale Vinaccia in his Method for mandolin,
and in his dedication of the Three Mazurkas Op.
116-118 for mandolin and guitar to his uncle
Gennaro, son of Pasquale.
Growning up in the Vinaccia atelier, where he
learned his first musical rudiments, Munier began
to study the mandolin and the guitar with Carmine
De Laurentis, Neapolitan maestro of both
instruments and author of the 1869 'Metodo per
mandolino' published by Ricordi editions. Munier
then enrolled in the S. Pietro Maiella
Conservatory when he was 15, studying piano with
the maestros Galiero and Cesi and harmony and
composition with maestro Nicola D'Arienzo. He
completed his studies at 19, winning awards in
composition and harmony. In this period he
performed at several concerts in Naples and
published his first compositions, arrangements of
La Traviata and I Puritani for two mandolins,
mandola and piano, dedicating the last one to the
Queen of Italy.
When he was 22 Munier moved to Florence, where he
spent the rest of his life. He quickly gained a
reputation as a virtuoso, becoming a guiding
figure of the Florentine mandolin and guitar
school, which also included such illustrious
students as Queen Margherita. In 1890 he organized
and conducted the first plucked string quartet,
with Luigi Bianchi on first mandolin, Guido
Vizzarri on second mandolin, Riccardo Matini on
mandola and himself on liuto moderno. With this
quartet he performed several concerts across
Italy, popularizing this kind of ensemble. In 1892
the quartet won first prize in the National
Competition of Genoa, over which the famous
violinist Camillo Sivori presided. In the same
competition Munier won the gold medal as mandolin
player and composer performing his 'Concerto in
Sol maggiore'. In October 1909 he performed for
King Vittorio Emanuele III, in the historical
castle of Sommariva-Perno in Cuneo province,
playing the 'Prelude in Re maggiore' and the
Mazurka-Concert 'A Lei!'. The king complimented
Munier on the execution of the pieces and the
extraordinary effects he obtained with the
mandolin.
In autumn 1910, Munier left for a European tour
that made stops in Marseilles and Antwerp. In
Marseilles, he met his mandolinist friend Laurent
Fantauzzi to whom he told of his plan to organize
an impressive concert in Florence. Unfortunately,
he never realized the event; on his return to
Florence Munier contracted an unexpected illness
and died on the 10th of February 1911, after an
unexpected illness.
Munier first married Luisa De Fonseca, who died
young and to whom he dedicated Elegia op 148. He
then married Armida Bastianini with whom he had
two daughters, Luisa and Elena.

Munier was a prolific composer. His catalogue
includes more than 350 published works. With the
exception of a few works, including the 'Trio for
mandolin, violoncello and piano' and the 'Three
quartets for 2 mandolins, mandola and lute',
Munier wrote primarily for mandolin and guitar.
His production of methods was also remarkable: the
Metodo completo for mandolin in two volumes; Lo
Scioglidita in four volumes and the Venti Studi.
His ouvre also included didactic works like the
'Lezioni in Forma di Duetto' Op. 115 and the Opere
per Due Mandolini (Op. 220, 228 and 230). (Hide extended text) ... (Read all)
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18 Pieces, Op. 72