Filippo Ruge was born before 1725 in Rome and died after 1767 in Paris. In musical literature he is also referred to as Rugge, Rugi, Ruggi, Rutgi, or Rouge Romano. Nothing is known about his youth or his training as a flautist and composer. His name first appears in five collections of chamber music for flute published by I. Walsh in London between 1751 and 1754.
It can be assumed that Ruge stayed in England from 1751 to 1753 before settling in Paris afterward. The Parisian press first mentions Ruge's name on the occasion of his solo appearance at the Concert Spirituel in March 1753: "M. Rouge, Romain, performed a flute concerto of his own composition" (Affiches de Province, 28 March 1753, p. 51).
It is possible that Ruge entered the service of the Marquis de Seignelay at some point between 1757 and 1761 and lived at his château. Contemporary accounts of the flautist Ruge speak only of his honest efforts in technical matters — though an invitation to perform a solo concerto at the Paris Concert Spirituel presupposed extraordinary virtuosic skill. Ruge's output consists mainly of works for the flute, but also includes symphonies and vocal compositions.
The present trio Per Un Flauto Traversiere, Un Violino, ed un Corno da Caccia by Filippo Ruge comes from the Alströmer Collection, now held in Sweden at the Statens musikbibliotek – The Music Library of Sweden (formerly Musikaliska akademiens bibliotek).
Trio for Flute, Violin and Horn
Filippo Ruge (before 1725 – after 1767)
– First edition –
This trio by the Italian Filippo Ruge, rare in its scoring, is edited here for the first time. The horn, notated in D, takes on more of a bass function and only rises to a sounding d''. This sets the trio pleasantly apart from other Baroque chamber works featuring horn, in which the horn part was often written almost unplayably high.
