Espíritu de la Guitarra

Dale Harris, guitar

CD Booklet Notes

   Paraguayan, Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944) is an interesting figure in classical guitar history. He was an outstanding guitarist and performer and one of the first guitarists to make gramophone records. In addition, he was a gifted improviser and a prolific composer boosting the guitar repertoire by some 300 works. The Waltz Op.8, No.4 is a humorous and lively piece reminiscent of a Viennese waltz. In my opinion, the special moments include the numerous brilliant flourishes and the very beautiful campenella passage in the trio section. Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios ("An offering for the Love of God") employs a tremolo melody (a rapid succession of alternating ring-middle-index right-hand fingers) which is test of technique and endurance for the performer. Choro de Saudade "A memoria de Americo Piratininga de Camargo" is a nostalgic choro dedicated to the "young people of South America". I have interpreted the lyrical theme as becoming ever more intense and nostalgic with each recapitulation. A salient feature of Barrios's music and technique is the requirement of large left-hand stretches, and many are employed in Choro de Saudade.

   The Two Minuets by Fernando Sor (1778-1839) are extracted from his two Sonatas, Opus 22 and Opus 25. Both Minuets are composed according to typical Classical harmony and form. Although Sor's La Folia de España Op.15, No.1 is seldom performed, it features four charming variations upon the popular song "The Ladies of Spain". Sor was exiled from his native Spain for much of his life and the present interpretation adds a little extra melancholy to the work. La Romanesca is a simple song showing Sor at his most lyrical.

   Asturias (from Suite Española Op.47 No.5) by Issac Albéniz (1860-1909) was originally written for the piano and is one of the most popular transcriptions for the guitar. If any work can be considered 'typical' guitar music then Asturias is probably the work. Albéniz is perhaps best known for his miniatures composed for the piano and his pieces are often highly evocative of Spanish culture. I have chosen to juxtapose the tranquil qualities conveyed in the piano original with the more natural aggressive tendencies of the Flamenco guitar.

    Santiago de Murcia (circa 17th-18th Century) was a court guitarist who wrote in the popular French and Italian styles of that time. His Prelude and Allegro is an example of the late Baroque guitar, a highly decorative instrument strung with 5 pairs of strings.

    Recuerdos de la Alhambra (meaning "Memories of the Alhambra") by Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909) is a beautiful evocation of the Alhambra - with its 13th-century Moorish gardens, elegant palaces and water fountains - found in the hills of Granada, Spain. The tremolo melody brilliantly captures the
sensuality of the Alhambra. Tárrega has made a highly significant contribution to the guitar as a teacher (formerly Professor of Guitar at the Madrid Conservatoire) and as the composer of one of the worlds most famous works ever written for the guitar. The two miniatures - ¡Adelita! Mazurka and Lágrima: Preludio - capture the unique lyrical qualities of the guitar.

    I am indebted to Graham Waller for invaluable assistance and advice, and for kindly providing recording facilities. Special thanks to George and Sheila Harris. Thanks also to all at Canterbury Christ Church University, especially my former teacher Jeff Alexander, and to John Mills and Lora Dimitrova for their advice on performance technique and interpretation.

Dale Harris

Guitar by Manuel Contreras II: 1997 doble-tapa (Rio).
Recorded in Hertfordshire, England.

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Cryptogram Classics Catalogue Number: CMZ 01