A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Concone, Giuseppe
CONCONE, Giuseppe, born at Turin in 1810, was a professor of the pianoforte and singing. He lived for about ten years in Paris, where he gave lessons in both branches of music, and brought out several compositions for the piano, notably a set of studies published by Grüs. Richault was the publisher of his vocal music, which is melodious and well written for the voice. But it is chiefly by his solfeggi and vocalizzi that Concone has made a world- wide reputation for usefulness, to which the re-publication of these works by Peters of Leipzig has greatly contributed. Those that are known consist of a book of 50 solfeggi for a medium compass of voice, 15 vocalizzi for soprano, 25 for mezzo-soprano, and a book of 25 solfeggi and 15 vocalizzi, 40 in all, for bass or baritone. This coupling together of bass and baritone is as a rule a great mistake, but in the present case the alternative notes given in passages which run low enable baritone voices to make very profitable use of the vocalizzi, and as they do not run very high, ordinary bass voices can sing them with sufficient ease. There is also a set of 30 very good florid exercises for soprano.
The contents of these books are melodious and pleasing, and calculated to promote flexibility of voice. The accompaniments are good, and there is an absence of the monotony so often found in works of the kind. The book of 50 solfeggi has been re-published by many houses, and latterly by Curwen, with the Tonic Sol-fa in addition to the ordinary notation.
After the French revolution of 1848, Concone returned to Turin, and became Maestro di Cappella and Organist at the Chapel Royal. He died in 1861.[ H. C. D. ]