Jose Antonio Escobar

 Jose Antonio Escobar
 



“...The mastery, intelligence and sound of José Antonio on such diverse pieces undoubtedly position him among the outstanding guitarists of our time.“ (Le Cahiers de la Guitare, Paris, 2002)

“Finally José Antonio Escobar gave us Villa-Lobos’ 12 Etudes, demonstrating that he is one of the finest young players to have emerged from South America in recent years” (Robert Matthew-Walker, Musical Opinion, London,  May 2007).

“Escobar is an expressive, mature artist who has transcended the nitty-gritty of technique and gets to the essence of the music.” (Jeffrey Rossman, Classical Voice of North Carolina, 2008).

“Guitar aficionados need to hear Escobar’s absolutely stunning playing.” (Göran Forsling, MusicWeb International, 2008)

José Antonio Escobar (b. 1973) is one of the most distinguished and versatile classical guitar soloists of his generation worldwide, drawing attention through a perfect balance between his intense musical expression and his vast knowledge of the various musical styles and periods. He was born in Santiago de Chile where he studied at the Conservatory of Music-University of Chile under Ernesto Quezada, graduating with Top Honors (Summa cum Laude). He later received his graduate degree (Meisterklassendiplom), after obtaining a scholarship from the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Chile to study under Franz Halasz, at the Hochschule für Musik in Augsburg, Germany, where he also worked as an assistant professor. In order to complement his studies he took courses and master classes in ancient music with renowned lutenists such as Hopkinson Smith, Eduardo Egüez and Juan Carlos Rivera.
He has performed in more than 30 countries in almost all of Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. He has also performed as a soloist with notable orchestras in Europe and South America, as well as at major concert venues. He has recorded several times for the well-known Naxos label, and also for RTVE (Spanish Radio and Television), and he has produced several independent recordings as well. Currently, he is frequently invited to perform and give master classes at major festivals, music seminars and at prestigious universities worldwide.
Prizes & Awards
1st Prize at the Heitor Villa-Lobos International Competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1997.
1st Prize at the Alirio Diaz International Guitar Competition in Caracas, Venezuela, 1998.
1st Prize and Special Audience Prize at the prestigious Francisco Tárrega International Guitar Competition in Benicàssim, Spain, 2000
1st Prize at the Stotsenberg International Guitar Competition (currently Parkening International Guitar Competition) in Malibu, California, USA, 2001
1st Prize (2^nd no awarded) at the Julian Arcas International Guitar Competition in Almería, Spain, 2003
1st Prize at the Norba Caesarina International Guitar Competition, Cáceres, Spain, 2005.
2nd Prize – ALHAMBRA International Guitar Competition, Alcoy, Spain, 2002.
2nd Prize – FORUM GUITAR WIEN International Guitar Competition, Vienna, Austria, 2002.
2nd Prize – Concorso Internazionale di Chitarra Classica RUGGERO CHIESA, Camogli, Italy, 2004.
3th Prize –  GFA International Guitar Competition, La Jolla, California, USA, 1997.
3th Prize – KARL SCHEIT International Guitar Competition,  Vienna, Austria, 1998.
3th Prize – Concorso  Internazionale de Chitarra Classica MICHELE PITTALUGA, Alessandria, Italy, 2003.

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Jorge Santos

Jorge Santos Turíbio Santos (Turibio Soares Santos) is considered one of the best Brazilian guitar players alive. His father, Turíbio Soares da Silva Santos Filho, and his mother, Neide Lobato Soares Santos, also from Maranhão, were joyful persons, fond of music and serenades. The family moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1946, bringon also Turíbio’s newly born sister, Giselda. The siblings Ronaldo and Cláudio were born in Rio de Janeiro in 1948 and 1955, respectively. Upon their arrival to Rio, the whole family lived together with Turíbio’s grandparents, Dona Martiniana and Isaac Lobato, in the Tijuca district. Later, in 1948, they moved to one of the earliest buildings set up in Copacabana, at Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, 109, (Our Lady of Copacabana Avenue, 109), near the beach, in front of the lifesaving station of “Posto 2”. In 1950, and in that address, the family lodged Turíbio’s oldest sisters, from his father’s first wife, Lilah and Conceição, coming also from the state of Maranhão. Like their father, they also were seresteiras (fond of serenades) and enjoyed to play the guitar. At the age of 12, young Turíbio, accustomed to listen to the songs of his father and sisters, asked her mother to be taught how to play the guitar. His first lessons were ministered by Molina and Francisco Amaral, the same musicians who teached his sisters. His progress was very fast and amazed his family. In 1955, at the U.S. Embassy in Rio, in his father’s company, Turíbio Santos watched a movie in which figured the Spanish master Andrés Segovia. On that evening, he met three people that would become very influential to his life: Antonio Rebello, (that would be one of his teachers), Hermínio Bello de Carvalho (poet, producer, and one of Antônio Rebellos’s pupil), and Jodacil Damasceno, (assistant guitarist to Antônio Rebello). Rebello would give him a solid professional base, Jodacil would open to him the whole universe of classic guitar, and Hermínio, the universe of popular music, together with friends such as Jacó do Bandolim, Ismael Silva, Paulinho da Viola, Clementina de Jesus, Araci de Almeida, Dino 7 Cordas, César Farias, Nicanor Teixeira, Elizeth Cardoso, Radamés Gnattali, and Pixinguinha. Studying with Antônio Rebello, in 1958 Turíbio Santos met Heitor Villa-Lobos, in a lecture given by this composer at Escola de Canto Orfeônico (Choral Singing School), in the Urca district. At the request of Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, he writes meticulously down all details of the lecture. This will result in the book “Villa-Lobos and the Guitar”, published years later for the Museu Villa-Lobos. He continued his music studies with private teachers, until coming to Edino Krieger’s hands. They would eventually become great friends. In 1961, during a lecture given by Hermínio Bello de Carvalho covering the work done by Turíbio about Heitor Villa-Lobos, Turíbio played before Arminda Villa-Lobos and would eventually be invited by her to record the first integral version of Villa’s “12 Studies” (dedicated to Andrés Segovia), for the recently founded Museu Villa-Lobos. Between reading stories (translated into Portuguese) in pocket books and attending guitar classes, young Turíbio Santos tried to keep himself loyal to his instrument. However, on those years, music was not favorably regarded as decent means of making a living, and so he decides to study at the Universidade Nacional de Arquitetura (Architecture National University), in 1962. On July 27 of that same year he presents his first concert, in his native city, São Luís, at Teatro Artur Azevedo. His second one would be in at the ABI (Brazilian Press Association), in Rio de Janeiro, on August 17, and the third one in November, during the Villa-Lobos Festival, executing Mystic Sextet, in first world audition. In 1963, Turíbio Santos recorded in duet with Oscar Cáceres, his Uruguayan friend and teacher since 1959, for the label Caravelle. From then on, he will inevitably embrace a career as professional musician. In the 1963 Villa-Lobos Festival, he presents the “12 Studies” in the first audition of the whole series.In 1965, he was awarded the 1st Prize at the International ORTF Contest, in Paris, and his international career gains momentum. Thanks to his victory in the VII Concours International of Guitare of ORTF (Office of Radiodiffusion et Television Française), he has the opportunity to settle in France. He receives an invitation to teach at the Conservatory of the Xème arrondissement in Paris. During the months of July and August he studied with Julian Bream and Andrés Segovia, respectively. The impact of those two masters marks Turíbio profoundly. He issued his first records in Europe through RCA in 1967 and 1968: a 45 rpm with works by Barrios (The Cathedral), and Heitor Villa-Lobos (Cries n°1), and a LP in which he accompanied the Brazilian singer living in Paris, Apparecida Maria (with songs by Waldemar Henrique, Heckel Tavares, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Jayme Ovalle). On December 30, 1966, Turíbio Santos married Sandra Assunção with whom he will have two children, Ricardo (on December 8, 1970), and Manuela (on December 30, 1972), both born in Paris. In January 1968, Turíbio Santos was invited to issue a record containing the Concierto de Aranjuez, with Paris’ Colegium Musicum, for Musidisc Europe, in addition to a Spanish repertoire of his free choice. This record, sold at popular prices, reached the 300.000 copies mark, easing his way into the European phonographic market. From 1965 to 1970, Turíbio Santos had a close professional relationship with the French producer Robert Vidal, although dotted with constant misunderstandigs that eventually led to a radical rupture. During that period he performed countless tours on behalf of Jeunesses Musicales of France and radio programs, displaying a huge repertoire often recorded at first sight by ORTF. He started his career in England, in 1967, with the help of Raquel Braune, of the Brazilian Embassy, and of the entrepreneur Helen Jennings. Turíbio begins to present himself constantly in that country. After his first two records issued by Erato (Heitor Villa-Lobos’ 12 Studies, Concert for Guitar and Orchestra, Mystic Sextet, and Preludes) he was invited by the above recording company to become their exclusive artist and to make 14 albums more during the next 14 years. Living in Paris, Turíbio Santos adopted the routine of presenting himself in Brazil during the European summer. Conductor Eleazar de Carvalho invites him constantly to the Campos de Jordão Festival. During the first 10 years of his residence in Paris, Turíbio travels trhough countless countries, continuously dedicated to recording for Bureau Yves Dandelot. One of his most important activities was the compilation of compositions for guitar, for the editor Max Eschig. In it, appear originals by Cláudio Santoro, Edino Krieger, Ricardo Tacuchian, Francisco Mignone, José Antônio Rezende de Almeida Prado, Radamés Gnattali, Nicanor Teixeira, all of them dedicated to him. But he also included works by French composers, like Andre Jolivet, Henri Sauguet, and Darius Milhaud. At the same time, he edited in São Paulo’s Ricordi a collectiom rescuing the work of João Pernambuco, part of which was recorded by him in Paris. Boy (Aníbal Sardinha) and Dilermando Reis also appeared in European records, pioneering thus the diffusion of Brazilian music. In 1948 Turibio wrote the song Pagu when, together with Roberto Gnattali, composed the soundtrack for the namesake movie. That soundtrack was awarded the “Kikito”, at the Gramado Festival. Among the most important concerts in his international career, must bepointed out the following: the one for the creation of Unesco’s Entreaide Fonds Musicale, in the company of M. Rostropovitch and Yehudi Menuhin (1974); accompanying the soprano Victöria de Los Ángeles (in New York, NY); the recital with Yehudi Menuhin in Gstaad (1977); a tour in the Renaissance ( a ship dedicated to Renaissance musical cruises, in 1972); recital at Marie Antoinnette’s Petit Palais (Versailles); and, as soloist with the orchestras Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre J.F. Paillard, Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo (Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo), Concerts Pasdeloup, Concerts Colonne, Orquestra Simfônica Brasileira (Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra), Orquestra do Teatro Nacional de Brasília (Brasilia’s National Theater Orchestra), Orquestra do Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro’s Municipal Theater Orchestra), Orquestra Petrobrás Pró-Música ( Petrobrás’ Pro-Música Orchestra), having had the honor of being appointed as Godfather to the latter one. In 1974, Turíbio Santos settled himself again in Rio de Janeiro despite his constant travels. In 1980, he decided to put a halt to extensive international tours. In 1980, he was invited by the writer and friend Guilherme Figueiredo to manage the Sala Cecília Meireles, assignment carried out by him until the resignation of Guilherme as President of FUNARJ (Fundação Artística do Rio de Janeiro) six months later. At the same time, by suggestion of composer Ricardo Tacuchian, he was invited to establish the guitar course at Escola de Música da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ’s School of Music), formerly Escola Nacional de Música (National School of Music). In 1981 he assumes the responsibility of doing the same at the UNIRIO University. As a result of those activities, in 1982 Turíbio Santos created the Orquestra de Guitarras do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro’s Guitar Orchestra), composed by students from both universities. That Orchestra issued a record (Kuarup) and performed renditions at the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro, and in several other important cities of Brazil. Several composers write (or transcribe originals) expressly for this orchestra, like Radamés Gnattali, Francisco Mignone, Edino Krieger, Roberto Gnattali. Some years later, another orchestra was created, the Brazilian Guitar Orchestra, which issued several records through VISON Records. In 1985 Turíbio Santos’ Godmother and great friend, Arminda Villa Lobos, passes away. The guitarist was invited to run the Museu Villa-Lobos, but he would rather orient the career of pianist Sônia Maria Sttrut, Arminda’s niece. In 1986, Joaquim Falcão, president of the Pró-Memória National Foundation, invited him to take over as Director. After accepting the invitation, his first mission was to transfer the Museum from the 9th floor of the building where it was located (nowadays, the Palace of Culture), to the beautiful house that Arminda had chosen: Sorocaba Street, 200, Botafogo District, Rio de Janeiro. In 1987 the Villa-Lobos Museum led the celebration in the whole country of that composer’s centennial birth anniversary, with the presentation of more than 700 concerts. Sandra and Turíbio got divorced in 1988, ending a marriage that lasted 22 years. In the following year, he marries Marta Clemente, and adopts his stepsons, Julio and Alberto. At the beginning of 1990, Turíbio Santos launched new works by Brazilian composers. His friendship with Guinga and Sérgio Barbosa characterized his repertory during that decade. Until 2002, he was recording albums in Brazil through Vison, Ritornello, Sony, Kuarup, and Digital ROB, in addition to his recordings by Erato, constantly reissued by Warner (WEA) in compilations. Since Turíbio Santos took over the direction of the Villa-Lobos Museum, he had the objective of giving a social scope to it, in addition to being the institutional guardian of the maestro’s works. That prompted him to give support to a musical movement in Comunidade Santa Marta (a nearby poor district) and to present Didactic Concerts in the premises of the Museum for students of public and private schools. He founded the Association of Friends of the Villa-Lobos Museum (AAMVL, 1987), that has been paragon to other institutions. In 2000, by invitation of movie director João Salles, he accepted to coordinate the “Projeto Villa-Lobinhos” with a view to provide a professional opportunity for poor children who wished to become musicians. Together with the former students (today, many of them have become teachers at academies) of the first project in Comunidade Santa Marta, a regular course has been set up and has received the support of large sections of the society. Turíbio Santos recorded in 2003 his 55th record, accompanied by Brasília’s Quartet, and runs an excellent a publication about music, Violão Amigo, issued by editor Jorge Zahar. On July 2, 2002, he launched the book Lies…or not?, also through Zahar, at the premises of the Brazilian Academy of Music, of which he is the official holder of chair n° 38, since 1992. In 2006 he has recently recorded five concertos for guitar and orchestra, which are: Brazilian Pictures, and The World is Big, by Sérgio Barboza, Danças Concertantes, by Edino Krieger, Concerto and Introdução para Choros, by Heitor Villa-Lobos. The first three concerts were dedicated to Turíbio Santos. The CD was released in 2007 in Digital Vison. The CD “Violão Amigo” (Friendly Guitar) was released during the first half of 2007, as well as the CD “Um Violão de São Luís” ( A São Luís Guitar), with melody by Turíbio Santos and Ricardo Santos for Erases Music. Turíbio Santos was decorated with the commendam of “Chevalier de la Legion D’Honneur” by the French Government, and as “Oficial da Ordem do Cruzeiro do Sul” by the Brazilian Government in 1985 and 1989, respectively.

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John Williams

 John Christopher Williams
 John Christopher Williams was born in Melbourne, Australia on 24th April 1941. His father, Leonard Williams, had emigrated to Australia from London in the late 1930s, where he met his wife, Malaan, through a common love of jazz music and political activism. Len was a respected jazz guitarist whose interests had slowly turned towards the classical repertoire, and when John was four years old, he received his first guitar from his father, although John insists that proper tuition did not start for another two or three years. Because of his new-found love for classical technique, Len refused to allow John to dabble in more free-form styles of playing, a fact often regretted by the virtuoso in later life.

In 1952, the family returned to England. Len wanted to set up a guitar school (which he did, with great success: The Spanish Guitar Centre continues his work today, under the guidance of Barry Mason). It's worth noting that Len Williams' later years were devoted to setting up the Looe Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall: depending on whom you speak to, Len Williams is most famous for: being the father of a famous guitarist, establishing the London Guitar Centre, or his work with Woolly Monkeys. Few people can manage being famous for one thing in one lifetime, but for three? He also had an ulterior motive: recognising his young son's talent, he wanted him to study with the only the best teachers. This was not an option in Australia, and through a friendship with Terry Usher, they met Andres Segovia during a visit to London. The "creator of the modern classical guitar" was impressed with the 11-year-old and arranged for him to attend his summer school at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana di Siena in Italy. The young prodigy returned annually until 1959.

The first of John Williams' successes came when, at the request of his fellow students, he received the unprecedented honour of giving the first complete solo recital by a student of any instrument in 1955.

While not in Sienna, he attended the Royal College of Music in London from 1956 to 1959, where he studied piano and music theory. He didn't study guitar simply because, like most other musical colleges and conservatoires at that time, the RCM didn't provide a Guitar curriculum! Shortly after his graduation, however, he was invited to run the newly-created Guitar department. The College was evidently getting prepared for the onslaught of musicians who'd want to emulate their recent alumnus! He remained in the post until 1973, when his place was taken by his former student Carlos Bonnell. Williams has maintained a relationship with the College throughout the years and remains a Visiting Professor, including to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Stephen Dodgson, lecturer in Harmony at the College, was to continue a professional association with his erstwhile pupil for many years as arranger and advisor, and his Second Guitar Concerto was written in 1971 at Williams' commission, and is dedicated to him.

Williams made his professional debut at the Wigmore Hall in London on 6th November 1958, five months shy of his 18th birthday and completing his formal musical education.

The programme mirrored the contents of his first two record albums, recorded at that time, and released in early 1959. He signed to the prestigious Ibbs & Tillett Agency (which later became part of the Harold Holt Organisation, now Askonas Holt), with whom he has remained throughout his career.

Even then, he had a reputation to live up to, as the concert bill included the now famous quote (at least with regard to the first sentence) from Maestro Segovia:

A prince of the guitar has arrived in the musical world.
God has laid a finger on his brow, and it will not be long before his name becomes a byword in England and abroad, thus contributing to the spiritual domain of his race. I hail this young artist on the occasion of his first public performance, and make the heartfelt wish that success, like his shadow, may accompany him everywhere.

Of his performance, the London Times had to say:

... Already he has a remarkably well-developed technique; this was particularly evident in a transcription of three movements from a Bach cello suite, [No.3, trans. J.W. Duarte] where every detail was perfectly in place, and to his control he added most musical and stylish phrasing and tone-colouring. Nervousness may well have been responsible for a few over-stressed notes which obtruded from his otherwise shapely line in Weiss's well-known A-minor suite and inevitable artistic immaturity was no doubt the explanation of the unstylish rubato he frequently allowed himslf in Sor's Variations on a Theme of Mozart. [...] He is plainly an accomplished, serious-minded young artist whose future development can be watched with great interest.

Successful debuts followed in Paris (1959), Madrid (1961) and in 1962 he had the rare privilege for a Western musician to tour the Soviet Union. Wherever he played, he was greeted with adulation.

His first UK appearance upon his return, again at the Wigmore Hall, was hailed as a major event, the Times stating: What has emerged first and foremost was the extent to which Mr Williams has strengthened his technique since we last heard him on this platform. He can now boast a very controlled agility, which served him admirably from viewpoints of rhythmic poise in a suite by Bach and and two sonatas by by Scarlatti. ... His concluding romantic group by Villa-Lobos, Turina, Ponce and Grandaos was also treated with sympathetic solicitude, but all this later music he still tends to interpret too inexpansively in terms of black and white instead of enjoying the flexibility and wider range of expressive colour for which it cries out.

After two further successful recordings, 1963 saw his debut Japanese and North American tours, during which he was offered a recording contract with CBS Records (now Sony Classical), the first release, unimaginatively entitled CBS Presents John Williams, being issued in 1964. Williams has since averaged at least one new recording each year for the label, although some less classicallly-oriented repertoire has been issued by others. Until the mid-seventies, most recording sessions were conducted in New York, under the watchful eye of CBS Senior Producer Paul Myers.

In 1964 he married for the first time, though this regrettably ended in divorce in 1969. His daughter Kate, born in 1965, is now a jazz pianist: see her own web site for further information.

John Williams was one of several high-profile young classical solosists trying to make careers during the sixties, very much against the counter-culture norm for their peers. This group, including Isaac Perlman, Fou Ts'ong, Daniel Barenboim, Vladimir Ashekanzy, Jacqueline du Pré, all based in London, had a tendency to congregate both socially and professionally, to the extent that Williams and du Pré were the official witnesses at Fou Ts'ong's wedding (of course, Jacqueline and Daniel Barenbiom were themselves famously married by the end of the decade).

One of the fruits of these friendships was John Williams' guest appearances on one of Jacqueline du Pré's first recordings in 1963, playing de Falla's Jota from Suite Española. Later collaborations included Daniel Barenboim conducting various orchestras in concerto performances, including on record, and an album of duets with Itzak Perlman.

He also made appearances with Wilfred Brown (Tenor, also on record), the London String Quartet and other artists, and eventually took Julian Bream's place in frequent appearances with Alan Loveday (violin) and Amarylis Fleming (cello). He was already showing his preference for finding opportunities and repertoire to play with others, rather than solo recitals.

John Williams has always spent a considerable amount of energy on expanding his repertoire beyond what Segovia had established, and an increasing interest in modern music led him to performing at the Premiere of Michael Tippett's King Priam in 1963, and later being involved in Pierre Boulez's ambitious recording of Anton Webern's entire oeuvre.

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Johann Sebastian Bach

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH BIOGRAPHY
1685-1750

 

 

 

 

Baroque Composer J.S. Bach wrote the genius UNFINISHED masterpiece "ART OF FUGUE" in his last years, while SLOWLY GOING BLIND!

 

Johann Sebastian Bach is THE most brilliant BAROQUE COMPOSER in history. Bach wrote the genius unfinished masterpiece "ART OF FUGUE" in his last years, while SLOWLY GOING BLIND.  After an eye operation, Bach reportedly died mid-bar while writing the final fugue, having just composed a musical notation based on his name:   B A C H.

 

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany into a musical family. He was taught violin by his father, but at the age of 10, Bach was orphaned and sent to live with his older brother. His brother did not recognize Bach's talent as a musician and forbade him from handling certain music manuscripts, which caused Bach to borrow the music at night and in hiding Bach would copy the scores by moonlight, severely straining his eyes and possibly leading to his blindness later on.

 

In 1714, at the age of 29, Bach became the Konzertmeister to the Duke of Weimar, where he composed cantatas and conducted.  In 1716, the post of Kappellmeister became vacant and not offered to Bach, so he decided to take a similiar post in Anhalt-Cothen. Trying to prevent Bach from leaving, The Duke IMPRISONED HIM FOR A MONTH in 1717 and then discharged him from the court. Bach and his family left the court in disgrace.

 

In 1720, Bach's first wife Maria, with whom he had 7 children, died. A year later, Bach married Anna Magdalena Wilcke, with whom he had 13 children. Bach wrote the famous "Clavierbuchlein," dedicated to Anna Magdalena and preserved in notebooks.

 

Among Bach's MANY famous masterpieces are: "Brandenburg Concertos", "The Art of Fugue", "The Well-Tempered Clavier", "Goldberg Variations", "St. Matthew Passion", "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor", "Mass in B Minor".

 

In 1747, as Bach was working on the final fugue of "The Art of the Fugue" and finishing his masterpiece "Mass in B Minor", Bach was almost totally blind. In 1750, after two eye operations by the British opthamalic "specialist", John Taylor, Bach became TOTALLY BLIND.  That year, Bach suffered a stroke and died ten days later on July 28, 1750.  After Bach died, Bach's own son, C.P.E. Bach, wrote on the score for "The Art of Fugue" (on "Contrapunctus XIX") the following: "N.B. While working on this fugue, where the name B.A.C.H. appears in the countersubject, the composer died." (B,A,C,H -- "H" is B natural in German).

 

Bach was buried in an unmarked grave, until his remains were rediscovered in 1894.

Bach's fame in his lifetime came mostly as an organist, more than a composer. It wasn't until 1829 when the composer Felix Mendelssohn discovered Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" and conducted this work, that Bach's reputation grew to became known as one of the GREATEST COMPOSERS IN HISTORY.

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Göran Söllscher

 Göran Söllscher

 


Although the two are often mentioned in a single breath, the temperament, style, and even career details of Swedish classical guitarist Göran Söllscher and those of the controversial and famous Japanese guitar virtuoso Kazuhito Yamashita are really just about as different as one could imagine. Yamashita was thrust into the limelight while still a teenager; Söllscher, on the other hand, continued his conservatory studies until his mid-twenties and took his time building up a major international career. Yamashita puts his amazing technical skill on display each and every night (and sometimes gets criticized for doing so); Söllscher is altogether more reserved, allowing mechanism to dominate only when he feels the music calls for it, giving warm, full-toned renditions of such standards as the Bach lute works, as opposed to flamboyant Yamashita transcriptions. It is not surprising, then, that the world's classical guitarists and classical-guitar lovers tend to sit on one side or the other of the Yamashita-Söllscher fence as far as next-generation talents are concerned: their approaches are so radically different from one another that most listeners find themselves unable to love them both equally.
Göran Söllscher was born in Växjö in 1955, and as a youth studied guitar at the Kalmar Municipal Music School. Later, he attended the conservatories in Malmö and Copenhagen, studying all the while with guitarist Per Olof Johnson. In 1978, he won the Concours Internationale de Guitare in Paris, and over the course of the 1980s, he conquered the international recital circuit. In 1991, he was a key participant in the much-touted international festival in honor of composer Joaquin Rodrigo (whose works include many now-standard guitar pieces), and soon afterwards he was appointed to the faculty of the Malmö Conservatory. Söllscher has been active throughout his career as a chamber musician; among the more well-known collaborations is a disc of Paganini's music for violin and guitar made with Gil Shaham.

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Francisco Tárrega

Francisco Tárrega

 

Francisco Tárrega was an important Spanish composer whose music and style of guitar playing became strongly influential in the twentieth century. He was central to reviving the guitar as a solo instrument in recital and concerts. Among his most popular compositions are Recuerdos de la Alhambra and Danza mora. He wrote nearly eighty original works for the guitar and over a hundred transcriptions, mostly of piano pieces by Chopin, Beethoven, and others.
Francisco Tárrega was born on November 21, 1852, in Villareal, Castellon, Spain. An accident in his early childhood permanently impaired his eyesight. He was taught his first lessons on guitar by Eugeni Ruiz, ironically a blind musician. In 1862, concert guitarist Julian Arcas, on tour in Castellon, heard young Francisco play and advised Tárrega's father to allow Francisco to come to Barcelona for study with him. Tárrega's father agreed, but insisted that he take piano lessons as well. His father was well aware that the guitar, as a solo vehicle, was in decline, coming increasingly to be viewed as an instrument to accompany singers, while the piano was all the rage throughout Europe. By his early teens, Tárrega had become proficient on both instruments. For a time, he played with other musicians at local engagements to earn money, but eventually he returned home. In 1874 he enrolled at the Madrid Conservatory where he would study composition under Arrieta. He had brought along with him a recently-purchased guitar, made in Seville by Antonio Torres. Its superior sonic qualities inspired him both in his playing and in his view of the instrument's compositional potential. When Arrieta heard his student Tárrega in a guitar concert, he convinced him to focus on guitar and abandon ideas of a career involving the piano. In about 1876, Tárrega began teaching and giving regular guitar concerts. He typically received much acclaim for his playing and began traveling to other areas of Spain to perform. By this time he was composing his first works for guitar. In 1880, he met his future wife, Maria Rizo, when he was giving a concert in Novelda. That same year he went on tour to Lyon, Paris, and London, now playing his own works in addition to those of other composers. In 1881, he and Maria were married in Novelda. He soon began transcribing piano works of Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and others to enlarge his guitar repertory, and, no doubt, to make use of his considerable knowledge of keyboard music. Tárrega and his wife moved to Madrid, but after the death of an infant daughter, Maria Josefa, they settled permanently in Barcelona in 1885. On a concert tour in Valencia shortly afterward, Tárrega met a wealthy widow, Conxa Martinez, who became a valuable patron to him. She allowed him and his family use of a house in Barcelona, where he would write the bulk of his most popular works, including Recuerdos de la Alhambra. From the latter 1880s up to 1903, Tárrega continued composing, but limited his concerts to Spain. In about 1902, he cut his fingernails and created a sound that would become typical of those guitarists associated with his school. The following year he launched a tour of Italy, giving highly successful concerts in Rome, Naples, and Milan. In January 1906, he was afflicted with paralysis on his right side, and though he would eventually return to the concert stage, he never completely recovered. He finished his last work, Oremus, on December 2, 1909. He died 13 days later.

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Fernando Sor

 Fernando Sor

There was a time, (25-30 year’s ago) that a Classical Guitar recital would seem incomplete without the inclusion of a work by Fernando Sor. Today it is rare for him to be included in a concert programme.

It must be said that his other works , Operas, Ballets, etc., have been silent since his death, and today his reputation rests solely as a composer of guitar music. It cannot be that today’s new generation of young guitarists find his pieces unworthy, as his contribution to the literature of the guitar is undeniable, (the critic Fetis adorned Sor with the title “The Beethoven of the Guitar”). He is acknowledged in the development of technique for the instrument and his collaboration with makers improved guitar construction. In the history of the guitar his name is assured. So why is it that today’s modern players neglect his music in the concert hall?

Present day critics may be responsible for the decline of Sor's exposure to the concert-going public by accusing him of being lightweight, of trying to inject a depth in his music that in the end only made it sound ludicrous, that he was guilty of clichés, (more eminent composers than Sor were guilty of that) and that he was unable to produce extended compositions of distinction. It may be this that dissuades the young guitarists of today from performing his work, so as not to invite negative critical reviews, but, nevertheless, I have always found Fernando Sor`s music (lightweight, clichés and all) pleasing, satisfying and always a delight.

Allegro non troppo

JOSEPH FERNANDO MACARI SORS was born in Barcelona, the actual date is in dispute, but he was baptized on the 14th February 1778. The son of a merchant, he was presumably in a better position than most to obtain a good education. As it was, his musical training took place in the Monastery of Montserrat Choir School. He also studied violin, piano and harmony, but not guitar. I do not know whether Fernando studied any other areas of basic education than music at the Monastery but his time there certainly set him in good stead for his musical career.

It is known that Senoir Sor Snr. owned a guitar so Fernando was familiar with its sound. On leaving the Monastery, he received the customary token of a gold coin from one of the monks with which he bought a guitar which was to become the passion of his life. (The gold coin was supposed to benefit the family of the graduating student).

It is at the age of eighteen that we next really hear of Fernando Sor. A production of his opera "Telemachus on the Calypso's Isle" performed in Barcelona in 1797 was very successful and led to a patronage in the service of the Duchess of Alba who apparently doted on the young composer. It is also at this time that Fernando was enlisted in the Spanish army, making the rank of captain in the Cordovan volunteers. It is also from this period that his first important guitar compositions can be charted. The premature death of the Duchess of Alba in1802 left Fernando without a patron, but luckily he found employment with the Duke of Medinaceli. His luck was not to last long: the French, under Napoleon Bonaparte invaded and occupied Spain.

Napoleon placed his brother, Joseph, on the throne of Spain and some more forward-thinking Spaniards thought that his puppet government would put into motion much needed political reforms. Fernando Sor was one of these French sympathisers (Afrancesados) and sided against the deposed Spanish King ,Charles IVth. So it was, when the French were defeated by Wellingtons army and had to withdraw, Fernando was obliged to leave with them. (This is a controversial issue; some scholars maintain that Sor was a Spanish patriot, and while I do think he believed that his association with the French was in the best interests of his own country, the fact remains he left Spain never to return. This implies that Sor must have regarded his actions as being perceived by his fellow countrymen as fraternising with the enemy and therefore treasonable).

Sor took residence in Paris and continued his musical career, encouraged by other prominent composers such as Cherubini and Berton. This was a productive time for Sor which saw him composing Operas, Ballets, Symphonies and Songs as well as guitar pieces.

In 1815 Sor went to England and with his virtuoso playing captivated the English guitar fraternity. On March 24th 1817 he performed his “Concertante for guitar, violin, viola and cello” at the Philharmonic Society to great acclaim. (This work is not included in Sor`s Opus listing and may be lost). By 1822 he became an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, which is a tribute to his personality and his musicianship.

Sor`s musical ambitions then took him to Russia, arriving in Moscow in November of 1823. His talents were soon appreciated and before long he was mixing with the highest level of Russian society, playing for the mother of Tsar Alexander 1st and the Royal family. When the Tsar died in 1825, Sor wrote a funeral march which was played at the funeral in St Petersburg. Returning to Moscow he produced the premiere of his ballet “Cendrillon”.

By 1827 Sor was once again living in Paris. The instrument was enjoying an revival of popularity and other famous guitarist/composers such as Dionisio Aguado (1784-1849) and Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841) were in the French capital at this time. Sor struck up a friendship with Aguado that prompted many of Sor`s duet pieces, which they frequently performed together. As well as giving concerts he also had guitar pupils, many of them ladies of high society. This is probably also his most productive period of compositions for the guitar. They were now also available to buy, being published by Antoine Meissonnier in sixteen volumes. (Sor would later use the publisher Pacini). Sor eventually published his works himself which included ,in 1830, his “ Methode Pour la Guitare”. This is a fascinating insight into the foundation of Sor`s view of the technique and thought process of guitar playing, acquired over a life times experience. All aspects are examined in detail, starting with his preferred make of instrument, sitting posture, the bodies relationship to the instrument, left and right hand positions, logical use of the fingers of both hands and the manner in which the right hand finger tips strike the strings. (Sor never advocated the use of the nails which was preferred by Aguado. This must have made an interesting, if not entirely compatible sound in their duet ensemble). Presumably Sor`s own technique was more than adequate to play all of his own compositions which indicates that even by today’s standards he must have been a formidable guitarist.

Fernando Sor`s last years were not happy ones. Both his wife and daughter died suddenly, one very shortly before the other. He himself suffered from cancer of the tongue and died in great pain on July 8th 1839. Buried in the cemetery of Montmartre, Paris, in the tomb of a friend, with no inscription, the last resting place of the greatest guitar composer of the nineteenth century was not identified until1934.

Theme and Variations.

The legacy that is Fernando Sor`s guitar works are listed in 63 opus numbers. These range in style and forms such as Divertissements, Theme and Variations, Fantasies, Waltzes, Sonata’s and groups of Studies etc., plus Duets. (Recently a number of lost pieces have been rediscovered, for example “Fantasie pour guitar seule” in D, which as yet carry no opus numbers).

The Studies, written periodically throughout his life, number almost one hundred, involve techniques of playing in thirds, arpeggios, rapidly repeated notes (tremolo), staccato chords, in fact all aspects of guitar playing is thoroughly covered. A compilation of 20 of the Studies from Op. 6, 29, 31, and 35 were compiled by Andre Segovia (1893-1987) who frequently performed a selection of them in his recitals. Make no mistake these Studies are not just exercises but valid pieces of music in their own right, albeit in miniature. Probably the most famous of Sor's works is his Op. 9. (1821) “Variations on a Theme of Mozart” the theme being “O Cara Armonia” from the 2nd act of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. In the hands of a virtuoso this becomes a dazzling tour de force that displays the skills of the guitarist and the imagination of the composer. When writing extended works like Sonatas, Sor never tried to emulate the piano or violin works of the same genre. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of the instrument and wrote for it accordingly. A good example of this is his “Sonata in C” Op. 25. (1827). It is unusual in as much that normally the first movement of a Sonata uses the Sonata Form, but Sor's Op. 25, opens with a long Introduction in C minor and the Sonata Form appears in the second movement, an Allegro non troppo, which moves to the tonic of C major. There then follows a Theme and Variations and it ends with a quick Minuet and Trio instead of the usual Rondo.

The duets ,which occupy 12 of the opus numbers, vary in scale from short pieces like his set of “Six valses faciles” Op. 44 bis. (1831) to longer works like “Les deux amis” Op. 41. (1829-30) with the parts labelled “Sor” and “Aguado” and the well known “L`Encouragement” Op. 34. (1828). (This has the dedication “une de ses élève”). The parts of this are labelled “L’élèves” and “Le Maître” indicating that the pupil play the more difficult melody line while the teacher has the accompaniment. (A pupil of Sor, Napoleon Coste (1806-1883), would later rearrange this work, sharing the parts in a more democratic way). A less well known duet is “Divertissement” Op. 62. (c1837-38) where the movements are Andantino Cantabile followed by a Polonaise (the Polonaise is rare in Sor`s music) and is a wonderful example of duet writing. It is a shame that it is not performed more often, perhaps because a prodigious technique is required by both guitarist.

Finale.

Performing any composers work requires thoughtful consideration. Julian Bream (b. 1933) gave an insight to his thoughts and approach to playing Sor when in conversation with the late Peter Sensier on BBC Radio 3`s programme “The Classical Guitar” in the early 1970`s Here are some extracts.

“An important factor in his (Sor`s) music is its charm. It has its use in music, and I for one, am quite prepared to be charmed, not twenty four hours a day, but I think on occasion”.
“I think Fernando Sor does have to be played with respect but for a certain type of innocence in his music. I think to over apply romanticism to the music is a great mistake. There is a classicism for example not unlike Mozart in his style which to my mind is a style of beautiful understatement. But if you give understatement space and time, it has a positive element that transcends the simplicity or the innocence of the material. Sor needs immense care and affection, and if one invests his music with that, I can’t see how anybody can object to it”.

My sentiments exactly.

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