Chysoulis Nikolaos

MASTERPROEF
Guitar Class of Antigoni Goni, 2014-2015

Introduction

It is almost indisputable that when we listen to the word classical guitar the first thing that comes in
mind is Spain and all its tradition with folklore elements of flamenco. Although this is partly true,
classical guitar is an instrument with a very long history begging in the 15th century with a guitar-like
instrument developed in Spain called vihuela. This great history of the instrument is followed by a
great evolution of the instrument, as many other instruments such as violin and piano, before it got its
contemporary shape and dimensions with the great luthier of the 19th century Antonio de Torres.
Although this great history mentioned, it was then at the beginning of the 20th century when classical
guitar began to increase its popularity outside the borders of Spain, and great composers who were not
necessarily guitarists started broaden the guitar repertoire with original great compositions.
Until then, the guitar repertoire was a bit poor if we compare it with the repertoire of other instruments
for example guitar and piano. This happened because no one of the great composers of the baroque,
classical and romantic composers, such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin composed works for this
instrument. Until then we have only compositions of guitar composers who where guitarists and a lot
of transcriptions from other instruments, especially from piano and lute works, made by guitarists.
This situation started to change at the beginning of the 20th century with Andres Segovia who managed
to prove that guitar is not only an instrument for folk music but it can stand worthily next to the other
instruments. With his great technique and musicality inspired great composers who were not
necessarily guitarists, such as Frank Martin, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Joaquin Rodrigo, Joaquin Turina,
Alexandre Tansman and others to compose music for this instrument and for him. So Segovia was a
great personality of the 20th century guitar music maybe without him this instrument didnt have this
revolution through only one century.
The first recital of master two programs is a tribute to Spanish composers and Spanish music. The first
work is Suite Espanola op. 47 of Isaac Albeniz which although is composed originally for piano and
not for guitar, became famous mostly through guitar transcriptions. This fact is proving that this
instrument has a lot of abilities and even a piece composed for piano can be well-played by the guitar.
The second piece Fantasia sobre themes de Traviata is a work originally composed for the guitar by
a great guitarist and composer Francisco Tarrega, which structured on themes of this very popular
opera, highlights the musicality and virtuosity of the instrument.
The final recital is tribute in classical guitar and it covers the two most important centuries of the
guitar, the 19th and the 20th. It consists of works composed from a guitarist who was also a composer,

[2]

Dionisio Aguado, whos pieces although difficult fits perfectly the instruments, and works from
composers who were not guitarists but they composed music for guitar and especially for Andres
Segovia. Despite the technical difficulties and musical characteristics that we dont meet in original
works for guitar, these pieces are also highlights of the Spanish guitar repertoire. So there is a contrast
between works written on the guitar and works written for guitar but with the appropriate
preparatory work and the suitable fingerings can fit the guitar and their musical character be
highlighted.
From another point of view my two recitals were built on two ways of thinking. The first one was for
educational reasons and the other one was to perform music that fits more to my musical personality.
On the one hand composers such as Tansman and Rodrigo motivated me to explore and learn about
great composers such as Scriabin and the baroque guitarist Gaspar Sanz. And this helped me to
broaden my musical view and to approach differently these guitar compositions.
On the other hand I always liked to work deeply in the tone production and virtuosic repertoire was not
my target. The contemporary guitar technique and sound production is based on Tarregas technique,
thats why I founded necessary to perform repertoire which express the beautiful tone that Tarrega
established. On this philosophy relied on and I chose to perform suite Espanola which Tarrega first
transcribed and also an original composition by him.

[3]

1. Isaac Albniz
Suite Espagnola op. 47
1.1Biographical details
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albniz y Pascual (29 May 1860 18 May 1909) was a Spanish pianist and
famous composer coming from Catalonia both with Enrique Granados (1867-1916) and his music is
influenced a lot by Andalusian music.
Born in Camprodon, province of Girona, Albniz was a child prodigy who first performed at the age of
four.
The apex of Albniz's concert career is considered to be 1889 to 1892 when he had concert tours
throughout Europe. During the 1890s Albniz lived in London and Paris. For London he wrote some
musical comedies which brought him to the attention of the wealthy Francis Money-Coutts, 5th Baron
Latymer. Money-Coutts commissioned and provided him with librettos for the opera Henry Clifford
and for a projected trilogy of Arthurian operas. The first of these, Merlin (18981902), was thought to
have been lost but has recently been reconstructed and performed.
In 1900 he returned to writing piano music. Between 1905 and 1908 he composed his final
masterpiece, Iberia (1908), a suite of twelve piano "impressions".

1.2Musical background
Isaac Albeniz, such as other Spanish composers like Granados, Falla, and Rodrigo were all persuaded
by Felipe Pedrell's work to be supreme aware of the bedrock of Spanish folk music and to incorporate
within their own compositions a strong element of indigenous Iberian culture. Albeniz in particular
stands out as a composer whose work celebrates Spanish rhythms and the Spanish landscape. His
piano music commemorates various cities of the south such as Cadiz, Sevilla, Granada, and his suites
have names such as Navarra or Iberia.
Albenizs creative output may be divided into three periods: 1) a prodigious early period consisting
almost initially in European salon style but becoming progressively more Spanish 2) a period of
primarily orchestral and theatrical works, with an increased authenticity in his now relatively few
works for piano 3) a final periods, at the end of his life, in which the remarkably sophisticated and
aesthetically authentic four-volume suite Iberia-one of the masterworks concert repertory-belongs. The

[4]

Albeniz guitar repertoire derives exclusively from the first two periods music composed during a
span of only twelve years (and with the exception of one, little played, early piece, Pavana-capricho,
only eight years).

1.3Guitar arrangements of Albenizs music

Guitarists began their arrangements of Albenizs piano music for their instrument almost from the
moment it was written. Today, a casual perusal of publishing and recording catalogues, concert
programs, and discographies proves that guitarists perform and record Albenizs music far more
frequently than do pianists themselves. For example there are 26 guitar recordings for Zambra
granandina in contrast of only 2 for the piano (Walter Clarks Isaac Albeniz: A guide to research).
The first guitarist to arrange Albenizs music almost certainly was Francisco Tarrega, an almost exact
contemporary of Albeniz. Further arrangements were made by Tarregas student Miguel Llobet
published arrangements of Cadiz, Orientale, Sevilla and Torre bermeja. Severino Garcia Fortea,
Tarregas closest student and duet partner during Tarregas late years, produced a lot of transcriptions
(published during the 1920s), among them, possibly the earliest guitar transcription of Leyenda
(published by Casa Dotesio in Madrid before 1919). Even Albenizs masterpiece, Iberia, did not
escape its almost inevitable guitaristic fate during the composers lifetime: the Trio Iberia from
Granada (a group consisted of lute, bandurria and guitar) toured widely with the suite in arrangements
the composer himself apparently greatly enjoyed.
The almost significant figure in the propagation of the Albeniz repertoire was undoubtedly Andres
Segovia, not so much through his arrangement, but more importantly through his performances and
gramophone recording of Leyenda (published in Buenos Aires by Romero y Fernandez around 1920).
In addition, Segovia played, recorded and greatly popularized further pieces of Albeniz which are:
Granada, Sevilla, Torre Bermeja, Tango, Mallorca, Zambra granadina and, to a lesser extent,
Leyenda-Barcarola, Orientale and Capricco Catalan.
The Albeniz repertoire established by Segovia clearly provided the basis of that performed by the
following generation of celebrity concert players such as Julian Bream, Alirio Diaz, Narciso Yepes,
John Williams, and others.
Finally, in addition to this mainstream Albeniz guitar repertoire, during the 1950s and 60s the
Madrid publisher UME issued Albeniz arrangements made by such now forgotten arrangers as Garcia
Velasco, M. Chacon, Luis Maravilla and Miguel Angel.

[5]

1.4Suite Espanola op. 47

Suite Espanola composed from Albeniz in 1886 when he was 26 years old and originally consisted of
four movements:
1.

Granada (Serenata)

2.

Cataluna (curranda)

3.

Sevilla (sevillanas)

4.

Cuba (capriccio)

In these works the first title refers to the geographical region portrayed, and the title in parentheses is
the musical form or dance from that region. From Granada in Andalusia there is a Serenata, from
Catalonia a Curranda or Courante, from Sevilla a Sevillanas and from Cuba (which was still part of
Spain in the 1880s) a Notturno in the style of a habanera.
In 1912 the editor Hofmeister republished the Suite espaola after Albniz's death, but added Cdiz
(was written in 1891 and is known as Serenata espagnola op. 181), Asturias (originally is the
prelude of Chants d Espagne), Aragn (is the first of the Spanish Dances op. 164) and Castilla
(finished the collection of Seguidillas). The other pieces had been published in other editions and
sometimes with different titles (Asturias was originally the prelude from the suite Chants d'Espagne).
The four pieces that Hofmeister added do not exactly reflect the geographical region to which they
refer. A clear example of this is Asturias (Leyenda), whose andalusian flamenco rhythms have little to
do with the Atlantic region of Asturias. Opus 47, the number assigned by Hofmeister, does not have
any chronological relation to any of Albnizs other works, since the opus numbers of the pieces were
randomly assigned by publishers and Albniz himself.
In my performance I selected to perform No. 1 Granada, No. 2 Cataluna, No. 3 Sevilla, No. 4 Cadiz,
No. 5 Asturias, No. 8 Cuba.

1.5Characterization of the individual pieces

1.

Granada (Serenata): An evening tune: The accompaniment (mostly broken chords) imitates

the portable instruments of the serenade singers (e.g. guitar, mandolin, lute)

[6]

2.

Cataluna (curranda): A reference to a courante in six-eight time with

rhythm.

3.

Sevilla (Sevillanas): Flamenco song with several verses which characterizes itself by many

changes of mode.
4.

Cadiz (cancion): An imitation of Flamenco singers and players at the procession in honour of

the Virgin Mary during the Passion Week.

5.

Asturias (Leyenda prelude): This piece has an epical-lyrical style. The initial theme of a

Granadinas with open string for accompaniment (which is a typical flamenco guitar style) stands
opposite to the melody with mauric influence in the bass.
6.

Cuba (Notturno-capricho): Night tune (similar to a serenade) with a dreamy character.

1.6Edition for the performance

There are several transcriptions of the suite Espanola such Manuel Barruecos transcription, Evangelos
Asimakopoulos transcription and others, with the most valuable to be this of Tarrega and Llobet which
was the first transcription.
For my performance I used Manuel Barrueco edition which is closest to the original text in
combination with Tarregas edition which is closer to the historical performance.
For No. 5 Asturias I used Segovias transcription in combination with Trosters transcription.

1.7Preparatory work
When someone is preparing to perform a transcribed composition the first thing in my opinion, is a
study of the original work. So firstly I listened to great piano recordings of suite Espagnola , such as
Alicia de Larrocha, and studying also the original piano score for similarities and differences (in
tonality, notes, articulation, dynamics) with the guitar arrangements. This preparation leaded me to
choose the Barruecos edition as the most respectful to the original text.
Secondly I listened to historical guitar recordings of these pieces, such as Segovias and Breams
recordings, and also studied the first transcriptions of the pieces, Tarregas and Llobets transcription
which are with many changes to original text, to understand the style of epoch. So my final decision in
cooperation with my teacher was to use a combination of the editions and epochs to be closer to the
golden section of a scientifically correct and also historical correct performance.
At the end, the last thing I did and helped me a lot to be in the style of the pieces, was to make a
virtual trip to the places which suite espagnola describes, throughout cart postal and videos, so to
create a personal story I want to share inside this music.

[7]

2. Francisco Tarrega
Fantasia sobre La Traviata
2.1Biographical details
Francisco Trrega was born on 21 November 1852, in Villarreal, Province of Castelln, Spain.
In 1862, concert guitarist Julin Arcas, on tour in Castelln, heard the young Trrega play and advised
Trrega's father to allow Francisco to come to Barcelona to study with him.
Historically Francisco Trrega is of immense significance in the development of the guitar over the
last two centuries, in terms of both technical innovations and compositions. His advocacy of the new
concepts of guitar construction embodied in the work of Antonio de Torres (18171892), the great
Spanish luthier, has proved influential right up to the present day. The composers use of higher
positions up the neck of the guitar and sonorous effects achieved by precisely indicated fingerings,
created a new concept of the instrument. Working with the Torres type of instrument (with its
enhanced tonal qualities, fan strutting, and a 650 millimetre string length), Trrega established
teaching methods including the most practical way of holding the guitar (using a footstool to raise the
left leg), principles of left and right hand techniques, and studies to develop a players skills.
Furthermore, Trrega composed some superb music for the instrument, meticulously indicating the
precise placing of notes on the fingerboard to produce the most expressive effects. In these little
masterpieces, often influenced by Chopin, he established a Spanish romantic voice for the guitar which
has enchanted public and players ever since. Francisco Trrega was the most influential Spanish
virtuoso performer of the nineteenth century. His output was modest, with just 78 original scores and
120 transcriptionsmostly for his own useof the great classical compositions. Trrega was also the
first great arranger for guitar, transcribing works from composers such as J.S. Bach, Beethoven,
Berlioz, Chopin, Grieg, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, and Wagner, as well as pieces
from Albniz and Malats and other Spanish contemporaries.

2.2Verdis opera La Traviata

La traviata (The Fallen Woman) is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto
by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camlias (1852), a play adapted from the novel

[8]

by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The opera was originally entitled Violetta, after the main character. It was
first performed on 6 March 1853 at the La Fenice opera house in Venice.
Piave and Verdi wanted to follow Dumas in giving the opera a contemporary setting, but the
authorities at La Fenice insisted that it be set in the past, "c. 1700". It was not until the 1880s that the
composer and librettist's original wishes were carried out and "realistic" productions were staged.

2.3Fantasia sobre La Traviata

This musical masterpiece composed by Tarrega in 1893 and it is originally a work of his teacher Julian
Arcas which Tarrega plagiarized. The premiere of the Fantasia was at Sociedad Unin de la Izquierda
del Ensanche,on 4 March 1894.
In this little masterpiece, Tarrega established a Spanish romantic voice for the guitar which has
enchanted public and players ever since.
This time the themes are not subjected to a systematic process of variation but their treatment is in
many ways more free. The arrangement opens with a paraphrase of the opera's prelude. The rest of the
work consists of arrangements of Violetta's three arias, each featuring special techniques of the guitar.
Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti features a brief tremolo passage; Ah fors' lui is in harmonics, and
the closing arrangement of Sempre libera features fast scales takes full advantage of all the three
octaves of D major, giving free rein to the technical virtuosity that until then had been hidden in the
phrasing and in the musical effects, suggesting a new genre of "coloratura guitar."

2.4Edition for the performance:

For the performance I decided to use Ariels edition (1980) as more original, as this edition is a
selection made by Carlos Bonnell from autograph manuscripts, which belonged to Trrega English
disciple, Walter J. Leckie. In Leckies collection Bonnell found two manuscripts of the Fantasia, one
from 25/07/1893 in London and one from 08/05/1903 in Naples. In comparison with this edition I used
as a basis I also studied Berbens edition (1971) from which I used the tenors part of the last Aria
sempre libera which in this edition is not in harmonics and I think the natural sound fits better to a
tenor voice:
Carlos Bonnell edition:

[9]

Berben edition:

2.5Preparatory work
The problem which emerged when I decided to include this piece in the program of the recital was
how I can be convincing in interpreting an opera with only one guitar. This problem was also an
opportunity for a better knowledge of this beautiful Verdis masterwork.
To come closer to an answer of my questions I studied the opera carefully and tried to find all the
themes from which the fantasia is consisted and to which agent of the opera each theme belongs. So I
had to try imitating different characteristics in the different parts of the piece. For example in the
beginning of the piece I had to have in my mind that this is the orchestral intro of the opera and at the
end to have in mind the sempre libera aria and the questions and answers between the soprano and
tenor voice.
Finally, after trying to imitate the different characters of the opera in every theme and I tried to
combine this also with the theatrical character of the opera through a lot of contrast between tempos,
dynamics and colors and to customize all these in a solid guitar piece.

[10]

3. Alexnadre Tansman
Variations sur un theme de Scriabine

3.1Biographical details
Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986) was Polish-born composer and virtuoso pianist. He spent his early
years in his native Poland, but lived in France for most of his life. His music is primarily neoclassical,
drawing on his Polish and Jewish heritage as well as his French musical influences.
Though he began his musical studies at the d Conservatory, his doctoral study was in law at the
University of Warsaw. Shortly after completing his studies, Alexandre Tansman moved to Paris,
where his musical ideas were accepted and encouraged by mentors and musical influences Igor
Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel, as opposed to the more conservative musical climate in his native
Poland. While in Paris, Tansman associated with a crowd of foreign-born musicians known as the
cole de Paris; though Honegger and Milhaud tried to persuade him to join Les Six, he declined,
stating a need for creative independence. (Tansman later wrote a biography of I. Stravinsky that was
extremely well-received)

Alexandre Tansman always described himself as a Polish composer, though he spoke French at home
and married a French pianist, Colette Cras. In 1941, fleeing Europe as his Jewish background put him
in danger with Hitler's rise to power, he moved to Los Angeles (thanks to the efforts of his friend
Charlie Chaplin in getting him a visa), where he made the acquaintance of Arnold Schoenberg.
Tansman composed the score for at least two Hollywood movies - Flesh and Fantasy, starring Barbara
Stanwyck; and a biopic of the Australian medical researcher Sister Elizabeth Kenny, starring Rosalind
Russell. He scored six films in all. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1946 for Best Music,
Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, for Paris Underground (there was a huge field of 21
nominations, and the winner was Mikls Rzsa for Spellbound).

Though Alexandre Tansman returned to Paris after the war, his disappearance from the European
musical scene left him behind the musical currents of the time, and no longer fresh in the minds of the
public, which slowed his previously fast-rising career. No longer in tune with the French fashions,
which had moved on to the avant-garde style, Tansman returned to his musical roots, drawing on his
Jewish and Polish background to create some of his greatest works. During this time he began to
reestablish connections to Poland, though his career and family kept him in France, where he lived

[11]

until his death in 1986.

3.2Musical background
The beginning of the international career of Aleksander Tansman (1897-1986) falls in the interwar
period: his departure from Poland to France at the end of 1919 was a turning point in his artistic
development as a composer. In Paris he became involved in creative activities, which resulted in the
formation of a new trend in the music of the 20th-centuryneo-classicism. Besides Stravinsky and
French composers from "The Group of Six," Tansman was one of the co-creators of a new "classical"
orientation in French music in the 1920s. When considered from the point of view of neoclassicism in
Poland, Tansman belongs to the groups of its earliest representatives; the musical activity of Polish
composers who belonged to the Society of Young Polish Musicians in Paris and those who went to
study music under the guidance of Nadia Boulanger, falls in the later period.
One of the most significant features of neoclassicism was its "historicism" which manifested itself in
the links with music traditions of different periods. Tansman's music reveals a strong awareness of the
ties with tradition to a similar extent as it could be noticed in the works composed by Igor Stravinsky,
Darius Milhaud or Arthur Honegger. Tansman recognized the importance of tradition, for instance in
the following statement: "Tradition is like a tree: dry branches fall down, but uprooting the tree is
dangerous, the roots must remain." The composer thought that it was impossible to break away from
musical tradition, and that there was no such need. He believed that "the dry branches" of ossified
traditionalism fall down spontaneously, and therefore tradition undergoes constant renewal,
"permanent enrichment."
In his music Tansman repeatedly referred to the musical heritage of various generations. Therefore, it
is possible to trace in his works patterns borrowed from the Baroque, classicism, and romanticism,
from Polish folklore and popular music, from Jewish and oriental music, from jazz, as well as various
other musical styles of the 20th-century. This turn to a diversity of musical models had its foundation
in the composer's aesthetics. Tansman consistently searched for lasting values in art, values that would
survive the destructive forces of time.
While referring to the past in his music, Tansman did not slavishly copy the patterns adopted from the
previous epochs. Instead, he reinterpreted the tradition through modern means of his compositional
technique. In the Poetics of Music Igor Stravinsky stated: "You refer to tradition in order to create
something new." Aleksander Tansman understood the return to the musical heritage of other
generations in the same way. The references to the legacy of the past became a characteristic feature of

[12]

his style not only in the years 1920-1941, when the composer's musical language was developed but
also in the mature period of his creative activityafter the year 1941.
Alexandre Tansman is perhaps best known for his guitar pieces, mostly written for Andrs Segovia - in
particular the Suite in modo polonico (1962), a collection of Polish dances. Andrs Segovia frequently
performed the work in recordings and on tour; it is today part of the standard repertoire.

3.3Variations sur un theme de Scriabin:

The "neo-classical" and "neo-Baroque" components of Tansman's oeuvre were coupled with a
romantic sensitivity. Romanticism was particularly dear to Tansman whose "romantic attitude" could
be recognized by his emphasis on subjectivism, emotionality, creative originality and his focus on the
importance of imagination and feelings. When characterizing Tansman's works, critics often drew
attention to such features of his style as lyricism and emotionality, which according to the composer
"would always remain the elements sine qua non of the art of music." While analyzing Tansman's
compositions dating from the first period of his creative activity up to 1941 it is possible to notice his
inclination to use lyrical forms of expression brought out by cantilena melodic lines leading toward
dramatic culminations.
In the Variations sur un theme de Scriabin for guitar (1972) Tansman used the prelude in E-flat minor
Op. 16 (5 preludes) No 4 for piano solo written by Scriabin in 1895 and it belongs in the first period of
Scriabins compositions (1886-1899) which is characterized by the influence of romantic idiom.
The work consists of the theme and six variations on it in different styles.
a)

Theme (Lento)

The theme is the prelude of Scriabin, which is 12 bars extended, who transcribed it for guitar in B
minor instead of the original tonality (E-flat minor). From the first bar of the theme the basic motive of
the theme is presented, which will play an important role in the composition of the

variations.

[13]

b)

Variation I (Intenso tempo)

In the first variation, which is in the same tempo, the melody of the theme is easily recognized in the
base register of the guitar as in the upper register the harmonic comments are presented. There is also a
use of harmonics effects from Tansman. This variations has also an extension of 12 bars.

c)

Variation II (un poco piu mosso)

This variation has also an extension of 12 bars as the theme but now the theme is not easily recognizes
such as there is not an unchanged use of it. There is a use of some rhythmical elements of the theme
such the chords in quarter notes in the third bar of the theme,

a)

theme

b) variation II

and there is also the use of triplets which are in the basic motive of the prelude
a)

Var. II bar 4

b) Var. II bar 5

d)

Variation III (Vivo non troppo)

This variation is different in the extension and in rhythm from the theme. Now the time differs and it is
4/4, the bars are 22 and it is consisted of a fast movement of sixteenth notes in the soprano with
movements of one tone (uphill or downhill) usually such as this movement is a feature of the first three
notes of the theme, and a lot of chromatic movement in the base.
a)

theme

b) var. III

[14]

e)

Variation IV (Lento cantabile, un poco rubato)

This variation now is pretty bigger from the previous and it has the double extension of the theme, 24
bars. The melody of the theme is clearly recognized from the beginning and is also presented in base
and in soprano. The harmony is not the same as in the theme and there are also bridge parts. This
variations has a dreamy character and is more like a fantasia.

f)

Variation V (Allegretto grazioso, quasi mazurka)

This variation is more extended in 29 bars, than the previous variations. The theme of this variation is
extended in 4 bars, from which in the first 2 bars the melody of the theme is presented in reduction in
the style of a mazurka dance (a Polish folk dance in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, and with
accent on the second or third beat).

a)

theme

b) Var. V (theme in reduction)

[15]

In the second 2 bars are presented the cords of the third bar of the theme in enlargement creating an
hemiola effect. There are also two intermezzo parts in the piece which connect the various
presentations of this characteristic theme.

a)

theme

b) Var. V (enlargement)

This variation is a clear example of the use of folk elements of his country in the music of Tansman.

g)

Variation VI (allegro con moto, Fugato)

This variation is the last and the longest of the piece and its extended in 34 bars. The time now is 4/4
as in the Var. III. In this variation Tansman first uses the contrapunctus technique and compose a
fugato in 4 voices with a theme of 12 notes which is the basic melody of the theme.

This fugato has an extension of 21 bars which ends with a part of 4 bars with an intense chromatic
movement on base with octaves and an ostinato movement with the note F sharp, which is the first
note of the theme, in soprano, and this part is leading to the representation of the theme.

[16]

3.4Preparatory work
The decision to include this composition to my final recital was the tinder to meet the music of
Scriabin and Tansman a little bit more deeply.
First, I looked for the recordings of this piece and my first inspiration was the two very good
recordings of Marcin Dylla, Lorenzo Micheli and Marc Regnier.
The second step was to listen to more compositions of these two composer to understand better their
musical background. Some of their other compositions which helped me to expand my knowledge of
their music was Scriabin-5 preludes op.16, Scriabin-24 preludes op.11, Scriabin-piano concerto in F
sharp minor op. 20, Tansman-Rapsodie Hebraique, Tansman-Cavatina for guitar, Tansman Sinfonia
no.4 and others.
Furthermore another element that led me to a more spherical knowledge of these two composers was a
little research that I made for some biographical details and for musicological articles referring to
them, because in my opinion the music of a composer is not only his compositional style but the
extract of his life.

[17]

4. Dionisio Aguado
Tre Rondo Brillanti op.2
4.1Biographical details
Dionisio

Aguado

(Madrid, 8

April

1784-Madrid, 29

Dec

1849)

was

Spanish guitarist and composer. In about 1800 Aguado, like Fernando Sor, was influenced by the
Italian Federico Moretti and adopted the conventional staff notation for the guitar; there after both
Spaniards published their music in the improved manner championed by Moretti, distinguishing the
musical parts by the direction of note stems, use of rests, etc. Aguado's artistic career unfolded slowly,
owing to the Napoleonic invasion of Spain and its aftermath. He retreated to the village of Fuenlabrada
in 1803, teaching and perfecting his technique there until 1824, the year his mother died; his Coleccin
de estudios para guitarra appeared in Madrid in 1820. He moved to Paris in 1825 (while Sor was in
Russia) and immediately gained an enviable reputation as a virtuoso and teacher. His famous method,
Escuela de Guitarra, was first published in 1825 and is still in print. In this method, he describes the
use of fingernails on the right hand for the sake of a brighter and louder sound. His roommate, the
famous composer Fernando Sor, was against the use of fingernails and considered that the tone
produced by Aguado was his only problem as a guitar player. The debate about the use, or not, of
fingernails was at the forefront at this time period because of the introduction of the six-string guitar. It
was not until Segovia's growing fame in the concert hall in the 1910s that the subject was settled in
favor of the use of nails. In his method, Aguado also introduced the tripodion, a device he invented
that supported the guitar so that it would resonate better without contact with the player's body.

4.2 The composition

Aguados other works are few. His catalogue ends with Op.16 and consists chiefly of dances and sets
of variation, clearly composed in the interest of virtuoso effect. The best of these works are the Trois
Rondo Brillants, Op.2, pieces of airy breath, richly intensive and skillfully constructed. Each piece
consists of a slow introduction followed by piece composed in Rondo style, and together they
represent the best stylistic, expressive and technical features of Aguados work.
For the masters recital I chose to play the No.2 of the 3 Rondos. In the preparatory work for the
performance of this work there are some difficulties. Although this work is composed for guitar, it is
for the instruments of Aguados era who where smaller in dimensions than modern guitars, and of

[18]

course with a more narrow and smaller fretboard. This causing the guitarist to perform complicated
stretches on the left hand while keeping the fast tempo indicated by Aguado.

4.3Edition for the performance

With the discussion and the urge of my teacher I chose the SUVINI ZERBONI edition of the work
because is very close to the manuscript and every change done is mentioned as a footnote. Furthermore
another reason for choosing this edition is because is revised by Ruggero Chiesa who is one of the
biggest personalities and pedagogues of the 20th century guitar history, and he is suggesting very good
ideas in fingering choices.

4.4Preparatory work
The difficulties when almost all the guitarists have to overcome when they have to perform pieces of
this period is the technical difficulties. On the one hand the virtuosity was playing a very important
role in the compositional style of this epoch, so the guitarist often has to come up against difficult and
fast scales, legatos or arpeggios. On the other hand we must take into account that these compositions
were written for pretty smaller instruments than the contemporaries with smaller ranges between
strings and frets. So easily someone can understand that these virtuosic elements of the pieces are more
difficult and need more effort from the performer to be attributed on contemporary instruments.
To accomplish all these technical difficulties, with the assistance of my teacher, we found the most
suitable fingerings which they subserve the musical purposes at first and secondly they are helpful for
the hands to keep their stamina and can relax in specific spots of the piece.
Finally, very much helpful for my interpretation of this composition, was the masterclass with Eliot
Fisk at the guitar Symposium which organized on March by Antigoni Goni. In this masterclass he led
me to understand better the style of the music and the direction of the musical phrases so to add finally
my personality in the piece closer to the historical performance.

[19]

5. JOAQUIN RODRIGO
CONCIERTO FANTASIA PARA UN GENTILHOMBRE
5.1Biographical details and musical background
Joaquin Rodrigo (November 22, 1901-July 6,1999) was born in Sagunto, Valencia. Rodrigo is a
prolific composer who has not only written five Concertos of various kinds for guitar but has also
composed a considerable number of orchestral works, chamber music works, concertos for violin,
cello, flute, harp etc, and a lot of pieces for solo instruments. Of the latter his guitar pieces constitute
some of the finest items of the twentieth century classical repertoire.
As a lot of composers who were from Iberian Peninsula, such as Albeniz, Granados, Falla, were all
persuaded by Felipe Pedrell's work (1841-1922, a composer, musicologist and historian was
particularly aware of the great artistry of Spanish musicians from the 16 th century onwards and also
admired the energies and beauties of folk music. His researches brought to light compositions had
been forgotten from earlier centuries.) to be supremely aware of the bedrock of Spanish folk music and
to incorporate within their own compositions a strong element of indigenous Iberian culture.

5.2Fantasia para un gentilhombre

This concerto is a full-length work for guitar and orchestra written in 1954 and it is dedicated to
Andres Segovia. This work based in themes taken from the seventeenth century composer Gaspar Sanz
whose book Instruction in Music on the Spanish Guitar first appeared in 1674. The work is in four
movements. The original themes by Sanz are quite short and Rodrigo expands each dance considerably
by delicate interplay of guitar and orchestral statements of the themes, or passages in partnership.

5.3The individual movements and the preparatory work

a) Villano y Ricercare
The villano was a rustic dance, four beats to the bar, to which appropriate words could be put. The
movement begins adagietto with the orchestra presenting the theme over guitar cords, echoed with
some embellishment by guitar itself after. The second half of the villano theme follows again echoed
by the guitar. This part of the movement with the interplay between guitar and orchestra must be
listened like a natural order among them. So the guitarist must play forte and follows the phrasing of
the orchestra on his answers to the orchestra. Then there is an orchestral passage with guitar scale
passages and decorative filigree. Then follows a flourish solo of the guitar where the melody of the
theme is presented so to be clear, the guitarist must choose the suitable fingerings and accents so this

[20]

melody be clearly presented. Also as the orchestra is not playing there is an opportunity of rubato
guitar playing.The final section is restatement of the theme by the orchestra.
The ricercar follows, Rodrigo's tribute to Sanz's contrapuntal writing. A ricerace is a composition in
fugue style using elaborate devices of counterpoint. Now the guitar is given first the opportunity to
express the theme and then the orchestra develops it with a chordal guitar accompaniment. The
movement ends with an orchestral coda with arpeggiated coda of the guitar. In this fugue style part, the
contrapunctus must be well articulated and every individual voice must be well listened as possible is.
So the research of the fingering possibilities with this purpose is needed.

b) Espanoleta y Fanfare de la Caballeria de Napoles

This second movement begins with a beautiful theme in 6/8 time played first on the bass strings of the
guitar and then an octave higher with orchestral accompaniment. Here my goal was to express the
lyrical character of the theme and to play really legato imitating a cello player.
The fanfare of the Cavalry of Naples which follows begins with urgent discords from the guitar
imitating horses' hooves so a staccato articulation with accents is serving this purpose. The horses
'hooves interrupted from time to time by fanfare bursts from the orchestra. The movement concludes
with a peaceful restatement of the espanoleta theme.

c) Danza de las Hachas

The title means either Dance of the Hatchets or Dance of the Candles. It is a vigorous dance with four
beats to the bar, with two parts to the theme itself. The orchestra states the first part of the theme with
guitar accompaniment, whilst the guitar begins, in a solo passage, the second statement. Is an interplay
between guitar and orchestra like question and answer.

d) Canario
This dance gets its name from the Canary Islands, and the theme has become one of Sanz's most
popular melodies. Rodrigo includes his own melodic episodes into this movement as well as quoting
the themes originally contained in the book by Sanz. The guitar begins the movement with the theme
which has a very brilliant character and be very well articulated and in a fast tempo. After the canarios
theme have been well explored, the guitar plays brilliant downward arpeggios over syncopated
orchestral section where the time signature changes from 6/8 to , a device known as the hemiola and
characteristic of several Spanish dances. Then follows the first episode both from guitar and orchestra,
the tempo becomes a little slower allowing a change of mood. Later on in the movement the guitar is
given an extended cadenza and the guitarist has the opportunity in this solo part to express his

[21]

musicality and use a lot of rubato playing. This cadenza ends with a long virtuosic scale passage which
brings back the orchestra and leading to the coda which is a dialogue between orchestra and guitar
with a brilliant burst from the guitar in the final bars.

[22]

Suggested discography:
Isaac Albeniz Suite Epsanola op.47
Albeniz, Isaac, OBRAS PARA PIANO, Vol. I , Alicia de Larrocha, Hispavox, 1959, HH 10-86
Albeniz, Isaac, OBRAS PARA PIANO, Vol. I I, Alicia de Larrocha, Hispavox, 1959, HH 10-87
Albeniz, Isaac, Popular Classics For Spanish Guitar, Julian Bream, RCA Victor,BMG,1997,09026
68814 2
Francisco Tarrega Fantasia sobre themes de Traviata
Tarrega, Francisco, Guitar Recital: BEETHOVEN, L. van / WAGNER, R. / VERDI, G. (Transcriptions
by Tarrega), Korhonen Timo, Inkoo Church, 2002, Ondine, ODE1013-2
Tarrega, Francisco, Guitar Recital:MERTZ, J.K. / GIULIANI, M. / SOR, F. / SCHUBERT, F. /
PAGANINI, N. / COSTE, N. / ARCAS, J. (Azahar), Jang, Daekun, Auditorio Municipal "Enrique
Granados",Lerida, Spain, Aulos Media, AMC2-101
Alexandre Tansman Variations sur un theme de Scriabine
Tansman, Alexandre, TANSMAN: Guitar Music (Complete), Regnier Marc, Fisher Hall California,
Marco Polo, 1993, 8.223690

Dionisio Aguado Rondo no.2 from Tres Rondos Brillantes

Aguado,Dionisio, BREAM, Julian: Music of Spain Disk 2, Julian Bream, RCA Records,828766788921
Joaquin Rodrigo Fantasia para un gentilhombre
Rodrigo, Joaquin, RODRIGO, J.: Concierto de Aranjuez / Fantasia para un gentilhombre / VILLALOBOS, H.: Guitar Concerto (J. Williams, Barenboim), John Williams, Sony Classical,
884977564235
Rodrigo, Joaquin, RODRIGO, J.: Concierto pastoral / Concierto de Aranjuez / Fantasia para un
gentilhombre (Stinton, Bonell, English Chamber Orchestra, Bedford), Carlos Bonell, Musical
Concepts, ALC1090

[23]

Bibliography/internet sources:
Albniz,
Isaac.
In
Grove
Music
Online.
Oxford
Music
Online,
http://0www.oxfordmusiconline.com.catalogue.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/subscriber/article/grove/music/00421 (accessed
25 March 2015).
Clark, Walter Aaron. Isaac Albniz: A Guide to Research, Garland Publishing Inc. New York &
London, 1998, 280 pages
Isaac Albeniz and the guitar, http://www.stanleyyates.com/writings/albeniz.pdf (accessed 25 March
2015)
Francisco Tarrega, http://www.naxos.com/person/Francisco_Tarrega_23871/23871.htm (accessed 28
March 2015)
Budden, Julian, The Operas of Verdi: Volume 2: From Il Trovatore to La Forza del Destino, New
York, Oxford University Press, 1992, 544 pages
Krehbiel, Henry Edward, A Book of Operas: Their Histories, Their Plots and Their Music, New York,
The Macmillan Company, 1909, 433 pages
Tansman Alexandre, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Tansman-Alexandre.htm, (accessed 15 March
2015)
Zofia Helman, Neoclassicism in Polish music of the 20th- century, Krakow, PWM, 1985, 252 pages
Anna Granat-Janki, The form in Aleksander Tansman's instrumental music, Wrocaw: Academy of
Music, 1995,
Anna Granat-Janki, Tradition and Modernity in the Music of Aleksander Tansman in Polish music
Journal, Vol. 4, No. 1, Summer 2001
Stephen Downes, "Mazurka" Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online, (accessed 17 Nov 2009)
Brian Jeffery, Dionisio Aguado, New Guitar Method The complete introduction by Brian Jeffery 1981,
http://www.tecla.com/extras/0001/0011/0011intro.htm (accessed 20 March 2015)
Joaquin Rodrigo, Rodrigo describes his Concierto de Aranjuez in Guitar News, No. 55, 1960, pp.1617
Graham Wade, Concierto de Aranjuez, 1985, 75 pages

[24]