Franco Margola (1908-1992) was an Italian composer who was active throughout the 20th century. During his life he devoted himself to composing pieces for musicians in the academic field, where he found fertile ground and was frequently commissioned for both educational and non-educational purposes. His career included various teaching and leadership positions at several Italian conservatories, not least at the Conservatorio di Musica "Arrigo Boito" in Parma, where he taught composition from 1963 to 1975. Here, thanks to a collaboration with guitar teacher Renzo Cabassi, he began to compose numerous works for guitar (around 250 opus numbers).

Margola maintained a close relationship with the historical roots of his art form, and although he experimented with the avant-garde in his youth, he abandoned such tendencies in his more mature compositions. His works are characterized by "rhythmic vitality, a 'classical' phrase structure, clear diatonicism and a frequent use of fourths and fifths reminiscent of the elements of his early compositions."

The aim of this recording is to offer listeners a selection of colorful soundscapes that vary depending on the ensemble. The guitar is the star of this album and is given new colors in combination with flute and violin as well as in guitar duos and trios. Margola's sonatas often feature diatonic and atonal opening movements, followed by lyrical, cantabile second movements, culminating in sparkling third movements that evoke a medieval or baroque feel.

The guitar trio configuration includes some of the composer's lesser-known works: Sonata (dC 281), Sonata (dC 228) and Sonata II for three guitars (dC 234). The violin and guitar duo play the Sonatina (dC 259) and the Sonata (dC 754) (first recording). The similarities between the one-movement sonata and the sonatina indicate that it was probably a preliminary sketch for the latter piece, with which it shares tonalities and several melodic ideas. Sonata IV (dC 191) and Sonata II (dC 197) are dedicated to the flute and guitar duo. Finally, the last two sonatas on this CD (dC 661 and dC 662) are for a guitar duo. The unpublished sonata (dC 661) was transcribed from an old copy of a manuscript with several almost illegible parts, which made the transcribers' work a musical challenge of reconciling notational accuracy with freedom of interpretation, guided by a deep understanding of the composer's musical language.

Further information:
- Recorded in September, October, November 2023, Saluzzo, Italy
- The booklet in English contains liner notes by the musicians and a profile of the ensemble
- Franco Margola was an important Italian composer whose musical roots lie in the 19th century, particularly in the cultural movement that was primarily interested in instrumental music rather than opera. Franco's musical language is classical, with clear formal structures and a leading role for melody. While his oeuvre spans various genres, his works for guitar occupy a special place in the repertoire and demonstrate his innovative approach and mastery of composition.
- Margola's compositions for guitar reflect a fusion of traditional Italian musical elements with modernist techniques and utilize a wide range of expressive possibilities, from lyrical melodies to complex polyphony, while maintaining a clear and idiomatic writing style for guitar. His use of harmonies, rhythms and textures adds depth and complexity to the guitar repertoire, earning him acclaim from guitarists and composers alike.
- This new recording presents chamber music in which the guitar plays a predominant role: from sonatas for three guitars to works for flute/guitar and violin/guitar: wonderfully engaging and expressive music!
- Ensemble Counterpoint is a collective of young classical musicians dedicated to exploring the 20th century repertoire with the aim of rediscovering and enhancing precious jewels of 20th century Italian music.