Trios for Flute, Viola and Guitar

Francesco MOLINO was born at Ivrea, near Turin, on 4 June 1768 and died in 1847 in Paris, at the age of 79.
Besides being guitarist, he was also composer, oboist in the band of the Piedmont Regiment, violist, from 1786 to 1789, in the Orchestra of the Teatro Regio in Turin, violinist, from 1814 to 1818, in the Orchestra of the royal chapel in Turin.
Probably in 1820, at the age of 52, he came to Paris with his wealth of experience and studies.
The interest in the guitar in Paris, capital of culture, taste, fashion of the time, attracts foreign guitarists.
Carulli came to paris, before him, in 1809, at the age of 38; after him, Gragnani, in 1810 at the age of 42, Sor in 1813 at the age of 35, Carcassi in the same year of Molino (1820 ) at the age of 28, then Aguado in 1825 at the age of 41.
In Paris, the guitarists go to the “Salons”, where they – professional and delectant musicians – can show their virtuosistic ability.
The editors pubblish many compositions to satisfy the public taste in despite of the musical quality.
The Revue de Paris of 1831 underlined that “the public is not an artist, but is just public, is not interested to the art for art.
But it expects fun and enterteinment to forget the bankruptcies”.
Probably also Molino is forced from the editors to satisfy the public taste and the market demand.
The best known publishing houses then proposed often easy compositions more accessible to a wide audience.
Despite these conditions there seems to say that the Molino’s trios, while wink at the public Salons, show – in the quality and in the formidable and exciting lyricism of the melody – the right innovative solutions who makes them, as well as enjoyable, extremely valuable.
In Paris he became the antagonist of Carulli (1779 – 1841).
This rivalry was represented by Charles de Marescot in one of the six lithographie (1840).