Luigi Legnani

Who was Luigi Legnani?

Luigi Rinaldo Legnani was an Italian guitarist, singer, composer and luthier.

He is not to be confused with the sculptor Luigi Legnani.

Born in Ferrara, Legnani was trained as a string player while very young but dedicated himself to guitar and voice. His debut was in Ravenna in 1807; in the 1820s he performed as a tenor in operas by Rossini, Pacini, and Donizetti. His career as a guitarist began with a concert in Milan in 1819; his 1822 concerts in Vienna were a great success, and he was hailed as a star when he returned there in 1833 and 1839.

He is perhaps best known for his 36 Caprices for the guitar, which cover all the major and minor keys, and which were probably inspired by Paganini's 24 Caprices for the violin. He and Paganini were friends from the 1830s; while it was once thought that he and Paganini performed together in public, this is no longer accepted. After the 1850s Legnani retired from active performance and became an instrument maker, concentrating on guitars and violins. The "Legnani model" guitar was popular in Central Europe through the middle of the nineteenth century.