Search - Mathieu, Cavallaro :: American Music for Two Guitars

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, St. Louis born guitarist William Foden was the leading and foremost American guitar virtuoso. In addition to hundreds of solo and duo compositions for guitar, and arrangements of lighter classics from composers such as Mendelssohn and Boccherini, Foden contributed original pieces written for the mandolin, mandolin orchestra, banjo and Hawaiian guitar. When he joined forces with mandolinist Guiseppe Pettine and banjoist Fred Bacon, (to form the "Big Trio"), he continued to delight audiences and critics while touring the United States with great success. -- His most important work for guitar is the "Foden Method" published in two volumes. This Method of all original compositions, is a treatise of over two hundred pages of technical and scholarly studies to advance the player from a beginner towards mastery of the instrument. Foden was also influential in the design of the "parlor" guitar. Working closely with friend CF. Martin, the Martin guitar company produced several "Foden Model" guitars between 1915 and 1917. The contributions of this great American guitarist as a composer, performer and educator have to date, been largely overlooked by an entire generation of guitarists. It is our hope that by recording the music of Foden, we will ignite the interest of the next generation of players to rediscover his works, program his music, and give him the long over-due recognition he deserves.