Mauro Giuliani was the composer who, together with Fernando Sor and Dionisio Aguado, ennobled the role of the guitar, not only for a large body of compositions dedicated to it, but also for the inspired idea of using it as a concertante instrument; before then, in fact, it was considered nothing more than a folk instrument. Born in 1781 in Bisceglie, Mauro Giuliani studied cello and French guitar with his brother. He held several concerts and signed his first compositions, but only after his move to Vienna in 1802 he managed to stand out as a great virtuoso and composer. The 'Paganini of the guitar,' as he was nicknamed by his contemporaries, became famous for his compositions and his concerts, so to win the liking and the esteem of Paganini, Rossini and Beethoven. In 1819 he returned to Italy where, this time, he obtained a well-deserved recognition; he settled first in Rome and then to Naples, where he spent the last years of his life.

Mauro Giuliani is also rightly remembered to have been an important teacher. He had high rank students, including the Empress Marie-Louise, the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. His work includes compositions one hundred and fifty cataloged compositions, of which fourty without opus number and other unpublished or lost works.

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