INTRODUCTION

This enchanting Italian renaissance guitar piece has withstood the test of time and survived for probably more than 400 years enabling us to enjoy its beauty and charm today. Although the original composer’s name is unknown we can attribute this beautiful piece to the Oscar Chilesotti collection of “Six lute pieces of the renaissance”.

I played this complete set as part of my first year university recital at Victoria University in New Zealand, and I do hope to eventually offer the complete set of pieces as courses or a collection here at NBN Guitar.

Below are a few tips to make the piece sound more musically interesting:

• Try using the side of the right-hand thumb for a very warm full sound

• Contrast this with a brittle ponticello sound the second time through

• For additional variation the use of staccato makes a nice contrast in the B section during the repeat

“Se io m’accorgo ben mio d’un altro amante” by Oscar Chilesotti is a beautifully expressive piece for classical guitar that captures the Renaissance spirit through its unassuming style and compositional elements of the period. Chilesotti, an Italian guitarist and musicologist, was renowned for his transcriptions of Renaissance and Baroque music for guitar.

This piece is set in the key of D minor, moving to A minor, and then finishing with a tierce de picardie (a compositional technique where the piece or section ends on the tonic major chord instead of minor),and typically performed at a moderate tempo, around 90-100 BPM, which allows for the nuanced expression of its melodic lines. The composition features a smooth, flowing melody with rich harmonies that evoke the emotive character of Renaissance vocal music.

Playing “Se io m’accorgo ben mio d’un altro amante” on classical guitar presents a great opportunity to experiment with, and apply vastly different tonal approaches to every repeat. My teacher William Bower at Victoria university in Wellington, New Zealand, always said that if you have to repeat something make sure you don’t play it the same way as you did the first time through!

Musical Style

Oscar Chilesotti’s musical style is characterised by his dedication to transcribing and adapting early music for the modern classical guitar. His works often feature intricate counterpoint, rich harmonic textures, and lyrical melodies that reflect the elegance and complexity of Renaissance and Baroque music. Chilesotti’s transcriptions are known for their historical accuracy and musical expressiveness, providing guitarists with a repertoire that bridges the gap between early music traditions and contemporary performance practice. His contributions have significantly enriched the classical guitar repertoire, offering valuable insights into the interpretation and performance of early music.

Notable Pieces

Five notable pieces by Oscar Chilesotti:

• Bianco Fiore (available as a course here on NBN Guitar)

• Fantasia

• Gagliarda

• Saltarello

• Spagnoletta

Let your fingers fly!

Josh