Giovanni (Jean) Frojo, born in Catanzaro on June 1, 1847, and passing away on April 17, 1925, is a currently forgotten figure in music history. He was a pianist and composer who, despite lacking formal academic training, devoted his life to concert performances and teaching. Frojo left behind a substantial body of work, including numerous musicological writings and a wide array of piano compositions.
During the latter half of the 19th century, Frojo's compositions enjoyed popularity in the salons of the time. They were noted for their delicate inspiration and genuine melodic vein. His educational and theoretical works also garnered significant attention, the former for their consciously directed approach to initial instrument learning and the latter for their ability to gracefully guide readers through the most important musical issues of the era. Throughout his writings, there is a certain nostalgia for the graceful music of the classical period, juxtaposed with the evolving forms and timbres of romanticism and post-romanticism.
Frojo's expertise extended beyond the piano; he was also a practitioner and theorist of the harp. For this instrument, he composed various pieces, including "Rêverie" (Naples, Izzo, circa 1892), "Preghiera di una fanciulla" (Izzo, Naples, 1922), and several theoretical and educational works: "Origini e sviluppo dell'arpa" (Padua, 1887) and "Scuola della tecnica dell'arpa" (Turin, 1896).
He passed away in his hometown at the age of 77.
The charming piece "Rêverie" presented here is a simple composition with a melancholic character, in the style of a barcarole, with a touch of Christmas in its melody. The musical form is straightforward, presenting successive self-contained episodes without significant development. The recapitulation of the first theme in the finale adds a slightly more polished touch to the form.
The various arrangements provided in this book aim to make this delicate piece accessible on a small lever harp, in a simplified version with reduced technical difficulty (omitting octaves and simplifying accompaniment). For performers with greater technical abilities and a larger harp, a version closer to Frojo's original is available, with only minor changes aimed at minimizing lever changes. The collection is complemented by a facsimile of the original score.
BOOK CONTENTS
Simplified Version in E flat for small lever harp
Simplified Version in F for small lever harp
Advanced Version in E flat for lever harp
Advanced Version in F for lever harp
Original Version in E flat for pedal harp
