9 Studies for Guitar by Josef Franz

The 9 Studies by Josef Franz aim towards intermediate players and offer some haunting melodies and joyful character pieces, reminiscent of typical romantic composers such as Schubert or Mertz. Some studies, not all of them, have names like “In the woods” (“Im Walde”) or “Fantasy Study - on the Meadows”(“Fantasie Etüde – Auf den Fluren”). The connection to nature was an important topic for romantic German speaking poets and composers, and is a practice we find e.g. in Schubert’s songs, in the oeuvre of Schumann or in poems by Eichendorff. The guitar takes an interesting role in the romantic context, it can actually be seen as an instrument of empowerment. The citizens could take it with them on walks through nature, they could have private concerts. In a way, they became more independent and were no longer obliged to go to mass or public events in order to experience music. In comparison to the piano and most other instruments, the guitar revealed itself a more affordable alternative, but at the same time capable of accompanying songs or other instruments. Very effective during private social gatherings. The studies by Josef Franz aim exactly towards this type of use. Not too difficult to play, beautiful to listen to and rewarding. Today, these pieces could be played by students, that want to work on their interpretations of romantic music, I believe they would work well as encores or as openers, when an audience needs to get used to the sound of the guitar. When played well, they can be charming, delightful and engaging. There are two manuscripts of the studies, one that contains all nine of them, probably in the order, that Franz intended. Then there is a second one, in which one study, number three, is missing. Some of the studies have been published around the year 1904 as part of the monthly selection of the “Free Society for the Promotion of Good Guitar Music” (“Freie Vereinigung zur Förderung guter Guitaremusik”) based in Augsburg.