Agustin Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944)
CD 1 67’13 1 A mi madre 7’18 2 Abrí la puerta mi china 3’43 3 Aconquija 4’14 4 Aire de zamba 2’45 5 Aire popular paraguayo 4’34 6 Aire sureño 1’39 7 Aires andaluces 8’22 8 Aires criollos 4’09 9 Aires mudéjares (Apuntes) 0’33 10 Allegro sinfónico 2’51 11 Altair 3’00 12 Arabescos 1’58 13 Armonías de America 4’09 14 Bicho feo (world première recording) 3’08 15 Canción de la hilandera 4’22 16 Capricho español 3’55 17 Choro da saudade 5’53 CD 2 64’49 1 Confesión 5’39 2 Contemplación 6’34 3 Córdoba 3’00 4 Cueca 3’19 5 Danza en Re menor 3’10 6 Danza guaraní 1’26 7 Danza paraguaya 2’27 8 Diana guaraní 8’05 (world première recording) 9 Dinora 3’33 10 Divagación en imitación al violín 2’56 11 Divagaciones criollas 2’41 2
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Don Perez Freire El sueño de la muñequita Escala y preludio Estilo - Chinita Estilo uruguayo Estudio de concierto Estudio de concierto No2
2’59 4’15 1’50 4’13 3’36 2’38 1’46
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
CD 3 61’09 Estudo del ligado (La mayor) 1’11 Estudo del ligado (Re menor) 0’57 Estudio en arpegio 1’33 Estudo en Si menor 2’32 Estudo en Sol menor 4’46 Estudio inconcluso 1’01 Estudio No3 2’41 Estudio No6 1’51 Estudio para ambas manos 1’03 Estudio vals 1’27 Fabiniana 3’14 Gavota al estilo antiguo 2’23 Grano de arena 4’39 (world première recording) Habanera 3’34 Humoresque 2’34 Isabel (world première recording) 2’02 Jha Che Valle 2’33 Jota 7’29 Julia Florida 5’14 Junto a tu corazón 4’29 La bananita 3’07
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
CD 4 La Catedral: I - Preludio II - Andante religioso III - Allegro solemne La samaritana Las abejas Leyenda de España Leyenda guaraní (world première recording) London carapé Luisito Luz Mala Mabelita Madrecita Madrigal-gavota Maxixe Mazurka apassionata Medallón antiguo Milonga Menueto en Do Menueto en La No1 Menueto en La No2
68’12
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
CD 5 Minueto en Mi mayor Manueto en Si mayor Oración Oración por todos País de Abanico Pepita Pericón Preludio en Do mayor Preludio en Do menor
67’53 3’20 2’42 3’19 3’19 4’05 6’02 4’50 0’56 6’06
2’50 2’03 4’42 5’23 1’31 5’07 9’35 2’00 1’31 1’45 1’44 2’31 4’53 2’26 6’10 5’07 3’02 0’56 1’35 3’53
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Preludio en La menor 2’59 Preludio en Mi menor 0’37 Preludio en Mi 0’49 Preludio en Re menor 1’26 Preludio Op5 No1 5’31 Rancho quemado 1’34 (world première recording) Romance de la india muerta 2’17 (world première recording) Romanza en imitación al violoncello 3’48 Sargento Cabral 1’17 Sarita 3’14 Serenata morisca 7’30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
CD 6 Tango No2 Tarantella Tua imagem Un sueño en la floresta Una limosna por el amor de Dios Vals de primavera Vals Op8 No3 Vals Op8 No4 Vals tropical Variaciones sobre el Punto Guanacasteco Variaciones sobre un tema de Tárrega Vidalita Vidalita con variaciones Villancico de Navidad
70’11 3’15 3’34 4’52 8’24 5’11 6’12 4’14 4’07 2’18 6’30 10’57 4’11 3’01 2’51
Cristiano Porqueddu guitar 3
Agustin Barrios Mangoré Complete Music for Guitar
Y una noche, Jasy retratada En el líquido cristal, sintiendo la tristeza de mi alma india, Dióme seis rayos de plata para con ellos descubrir sus árcanos Secretos. Agustin Barrios Agustín Pío Barrios was born in southern Paraguay in the Misiones district on May 5, 1885 into a large family where music, literature and drama were held in high esteem. Though he completed only two years of high school, Barrios was one of those naturally gifted beings who could draw, play music and write poetry with uncommon ability. He was fortunate in that he studied guitar with a formally schooled Paraguayan guitarist who had lived in Buenos Aires, Gustavo Sosa Escalada (1877-1943), who taught young Barrios the Sor and Aguado guitar methods. When he was 25 years old, Barrios left his native Paraguay and journeyed to Buenos Aires, Argentina. From 1910 till 1930 he lived in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, earning his living as a concert guitarist. He never returned to his native Paraguay except for a few extended visits during the mid 1920s. He was constantly on the move and eventually visited 18 Latin American countries. For this reason, he is considered a true pioneer of the concert guitar in Iberoamerica and certainly the first genuinely Pan-American concert artist. From 1930 till 1934 he changed his name and manner of presentation, becoming Chief Nitsuga Mangoré, the Paganini of the Guitar from the jungles of Paraguay. During the last years of his life he reconciled this stage identity with his given name, calling himself Agustín Barrios Mangoré. Barrios was a gifted virtuoso of the guitar and a talented composer—a potent combination that resulted in the creation of compositions that are considered by many to be the best works ever written for the instrument. The majority of his music he left either in the form of handwritten manuscripts dispersed throughout Latin America or on the numerous 78 rpm recordings he did from 1914 to 1929. The manuscripts and the recordings are the principal sources for his music (he formally published only nine works). In 1935 Barrios lived in Germany, but returned to South America the following year. Sadly, he never achieved the success that he deserved and he died in 1944 at the age of 59 in the Central American nation of El Salvador, in humble circumstances and forgotten. Barrios’ music is eclectic, drawing from classical, popular and folkoric sources. He admired all the great 4
classical composers, with particular predilection for Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. A gifted virtuoso, his technical facility combined with his creative talent enabled him to compose works with memorable, appealing melodies, rich in harmonic content with frequent modulation to neighboring keys, displaying a singular approach to the voicing of chords in a variety of musical forms (theme and variations, preludes, studies, character pieces, waltzes, minuets, mazurkas, tangos, folk songs, etc.). The legacy of Barrios is one of the most important and outstanding contributions ever made to the classic guitar. Abrí la Puerta Mi China This is the earliest composition by Barrios that has been located thus far. The source of this piece is a manuscript (dated December 25, 1905) written by Dionisio Basulado of Asunción, Paraguay, a lifelong friend to whom Barrios dedicated his Vals Op.8, No.4. Exhibiting traits of the tango, Abrí la Puerta Mi China (“Open the Door My Country Girl”) reveals that by his twentieth year Barrios had mastered the entire fingerboard as well as a basic knowledge of harmonic modulation. Aconquija Also called Aire de Quena (“Quena Aire”), this work was part of the Suite Andina (“Andean Suite”). The story relates that Barrios was in the Andes in northern Argentina near a peak called Aconquija and one evening he heard from afar the the indigenous flute called quena softly playing the notes that begin this work in the initial six measures. The Borda y Pagola manuscript gives a subtitle to this work of “Aire típico andino - armonizado por A. Barrios” (“Popular Andean Air - harmonized by A. Barrios”). Aire de Zamba The earliest reference to the Aire de Zamba appears in the program of a concert announced for November 8, 1923 in Buenos Aires (which was cancelled due to lack of interest!). The title as given on this manuscript is Aire de Zamba (de la “Suite Andina”) indicating that Barrios indeed conceived of this work as part of a larger work (which reputedly also included the Aconquija, Córdoba and Cueca). Aire Popular Parguayo The Aire Popular Parguayo (“Popular Paraguayan Song”) is perhaps Barrios’ most idiosyncratic work inspired by Paraguayan popular music, based on a widely known song called “Caazapá”. Recurrent use of rubato and glissando, intricate rhythms and tempo alterations executed on a virtuoso level make this a remarkable work. Certain rhythmical traits of Paraguayan music are also seen (the use of the quadruplet in 6/8 meter and the subtle use of rubato as regards the melody). The earliest documentable reference to the Aire Popular Parguayo is from a program dated October, 1923 in Buenos Aires where it was called simply “Aire Paraguayo”. At least five years transpired from the time Barrios created this work until the day he recorded it and this allowed him ample time to develop and refine the piece.
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Aire Sureño A thematic fragment that was to be part of a larger work that Barrios was composing during his last days in San Salvador, but which he never completed. Aires Andaluces An early work representative of Barrios’ “Spanish genre” which included Capricho Español, Leyenda de España, Serenata Morisca and Gran Jota. Like most Latin Americans, Barrios admired the “mother country” Spain (which he visited briefly in late 1935). He continually performed in his concerts Spanish music by Albéniz, Arcas, Brocá, Malats, Manjón, Parga and Tárrega, which no doubt served as an inspiration for his own “piezas españolas”. Aires Criollos This work is a medley of different melodies from Argentina. When Barrios first arrived in Buenos Aires in 1910 he earned his living playing guitar in theaters and movie houses during intermission and between acts. An extended potpourri of popular melodies worked well in this format, and Barrios utilized the medley form in numerous works, such as the aforementioned Aires Andaluces, as well as Armonías de América and Pot-pourri Lírico (a medley of arias from the operas Rigoletto, Carmen, Faust, Tosca, Aida and il Guaraní). Aires Mudéjares A thematic fragment from a work that Barrios began composing shortly before his death in 1944 in El Salvador. It appears to be a study and, had he finished this work, it no doubt would have been yet another “Spanish work”. (Aires Mudéjares translates as “Moorish Songs”). Allegro Sinfónico A very “classical” work in which the guitar is made to sound “symphonic”, utilizing the full range of the fingerboard. Barrios first performed this piece in 1920 in Montevideo, Uruguay and later dedicated it to his teacher, Gustavo Sosa Escalada. Altair A simple waltz probably written circa 1916 in Brazil. This is the only work in which Barrios is seen to repeat himself; in this work, the last twelve measures are identical to those in the work Humoresque. A Mi Madre Dedicated to his mother, Martina Ferreira de Barrios, this tender serenade was also called “Sonata en Sol Mayor” (“Sonata in G Major’). This is a work Barrios composed very early while still residing in his native Paraguay (c.1908) and which he continually developed,recording a distinct version in 1929 which he titled Invocación a mi Madre. Arabescos Also referred to as Estudio No.4, this work focuses on the technique of playing a single-note melodic line involving descending ligado technique. When played rapidly this work exhibits arabesque-like qualities with its cascading, flowing melodic contour that roams through all the registers of the 6
instrument. This work was created in Argentina circa 1923. Armonías de America This extended fantasia contains different South American song and dance forms (some of which Barrios used in the work Aires Criollos composed several years earlier). The first reference to this work is from a program dated 1927 where it is referred to as a “native poem” (“poema nativo”). Barrios recorded this work in 1929 and also left a manuscript of the work that differs considerably from the recorded version. As in most instances, the recording is superior. Bicho Feo This work is one of four tangos that Barrios performed and recorded for Atlanta records during the years 1913-14. “Bicho Feo” can be translated as “Ugly Bug”. The guitar “speaks” the title in the course of the work and this novelty no doubt aided in making this one of Barrios’ most popular pieces. Canción de la Hilandera This work utilizing the tremolo technique was created in Mexico in 1933 and dedicated to Heriberto Lazcano. The title translates as “Song of the Thread Spinner”. Barrios was reputedly fascinated watching the work of a thread spinner at the spinning wheel and it has been claimed that this piece imitates certain repetitive motions involved in this work. Capricho Español This work is an extended “Spanish piece” which was probably composed circa 1920 (the earliest reference is from a program dated April 17, 1921). Barrios kept this work in his concert repertoire and performed it regularly throughout his career. Choro da Saudade One of Barrios’ greatest works which is a masterful treatment of the Brazilian choro form. The first reference to this work is from 1928 but it is probable that it was composed in Uruguay several years earlier. Barrios incorporates into this work three different “moods” of the choro and also utilizes the innovative technique of the “cross barre” as well as chord voicings that require extended left hand stretching. Confesión Also titled “Página d’ Album” as well as “Confession of Love” (“Confisao de Amor”), this romanza was composed circa 1923 and was recorded by Barrrios in 1928. It features the melody in the bass register. The recorded version omits the repeat of section A; thus, the manuscript version shows two additional measures for the first ending of section A (another example of how Barrios was forced to shorten the overall length of a work in order to make it fit within the 3-minute time limit of a conventional 78 rpm disc). Other significant differences are seen between the three sources, including the total length: DiGiorgio’s version consists of 121 measures total, the manuscript version shows 128 measures total, and the the recorded version has 126 measures total. The version given here follows the recording, taking into account any omission of repeats as cited above. 7
Contemplación A work written circa 1923 in Argentina, Contemplación is the second work Barrios composed featuring the tremolo technique (the first being Un Sueño en la Floresta). The recording reveals a completely different introductory passage from that seen in the manuscripts. The version in this edition follows primarily the recording as the preferred source. Significant differences between the versions exist, the most salient being that the Borda y Pagola manuscript contains a total of 130 measures, while the El Salvadorean manuscript shows 122 measures and the recorded version contains 118 measures. Córdoba Dedicated to the Argentine city of Córdoba, this work was included as part of the “Suite Andina” cited above. Barrios travelled extensively within Argentina in the years that he resided in the Rio de la Plata area, and no doubt grew to know this major Argentine city well (one of his dearest friends, Martin Gil, resided there). This work was not performed in concert by Barrios with any frequency, and the recording is one of only four two-sided discs that he did for Odeon in 1924. Cueca This work is based on the popular folklorick dance from Chile known as cueca or zamacueca. It was also called by Barrios “Aire Chileno” (“Chilean Aire”). As stated above, this work was included by Barrios in the Suite Andina which also included Aconquija, Aire de Zamba and Córdoba. The earliest reference to this work is from a program dated October 18, 1925 in Montevideo. I surmise that Barrios created this work after his second visit to Chile (which was probably in 1922). Danza en Re Menor This work was written circa 1921 (the earliest reference is from a program of a concert Barrios gave on October 18, 1921 at La Argentina theater in Buenos Aires). He performed the piece infrequently throughout the early 1920’s but evidently eliminated it from his concert repertoire after 1923. Danza Guaraní This work is known in Paraguay with a different rhythm which Barrios adapted to reflect a more lively tempo. This work was recorded in the 1930’s by the Uruguayan concert guitarist Julio Martinez Oyanguren (1901-1973). Danza Paraguaya Perhaps Barrios’ most popular work, the Danza Paraguaya was written down in numerous manuscripts by Barrios on various occasions in different locations: Uruguay, Venezuela, Costa Rica and El Salvador, resulting in five distinct versions including the recording done in 1928. Composed circa 1926, this work was performed by Barrios in his concerts throughout his career and he obviously enjoyed creating variations on it. The Danza Paragauaya is a form of music known in Paraguay as polca paraguaya. Before Barrios, this type of musical work contained only two sections (A and B). Barrios’ innovation consisted of adding a third section in the relative subdominant key. Each section is comprised of 16 8
measures and the form of the work is that of a rondo: A-B-A-C-A Diana Guaraní In 1943 in San Salvador Barrios recorded several discs utilizing a Crosley recording machine owned by the impresario and theater owner Alfredo Massi. The works he recorded were Diana Guaraní, Invocación a la Luna and El Sueño de la Muñequita. The final finished discs were reputedly sent to Washington, D.C. to be played on the radio on Pan-American Union Day. During the course of recording these works (which had to be done flawlessly from start to finish as no overdubbing was possible), Barrios made several attempts where he would evidently play the work up to a point and stop, due either to time limitations or the fact that he made an error. These “out take” discs were retained by Alfredo Massi and put in storage, while the final two discs that went to Washington, D.C. were eventually returned to El Salvador and given to Juan de Dios Trejos who took them to Costa Rica and subsequently gave them to a visiting Paraguayan musician named Gumersindo Ayala Aquino who reputedly took them back to Paraguay (no trace of these discs has ever been found). In 1978 the descendants of Alfredo Massi found these outtake discs in storage and gave them to Dr. Carlos Payés who subsequently passed them on to this writer. Listening to the discs, I had to piece together what appeared to be a logical order for coordinating the several passages recorded on each disc. As no manuscript for Diana Guaraní has ever been found, I could not be 100% certain that the complete work in its totality was represented in these outtakes. However, since the results of my editing produced a version that was in fact six minutes and thirty-two seconds in total duration, I felt that this was a reasonable approximation to what was probably the entire Diana Guaraní was one of Barrios’ most popular works with which he used to close his concerts. It is essentially a theme and variations on the Pargauayan song “Campamento Cerro León” (“León Hill Camp”), a melody that became popular during the years that Paraguay was engaged in the War of the Triple Alliance (1865 to 1870) in which Paraguay fought against the combined forces of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay and was roundly defeated, losing a great percentage of its male populace in the tragic outcome of the conflict. “Campamento Cerro León” is based on a bugle call which was sounded before battle, calling the troops to defend the homeland. This theme is heard in the opening measures. Barrios first performed this work in Paraguay in concert on November 22, 1924 calling “Variations on El Campamento”. Over the ensuing years he continued to develop and perform the work, calling it on different occasions “Diana Paraguaya”, “Alvorada Histórica Paraguaya” and “Alvorada Guarany”. In Trinidad in 1931 he finally settled on the title “Diana Guaraní.” It has been claimed that Barrios utilized in this work numerous onomotopoetic effects (such as cros-sing the bass strings over themselves to obtain the “snare drum” effect). This use of “effects” to imitate drums, horses trotting, gunfire, etc. brings to mind certain Spanish works where this ap-proach was a paramount feature (La Entrada de Bilbao or El Sitio de Zaragosa are two works from this tradition) and one wonders whether Barrios ever heard any 9
guitarists performing such works which may have served as sources of inspiration. Dinora From August of 1938 until July of 1939 Barrios resided in Costa Rica. During this time he per-formed some concerts and gave guitar lessons to Francisco Salazar, Julia Martinez and Walter Bolandi. Salazar and Bolandi were architects by profession who shared a passion for the classic guitar and were great admirers of Mangoré. Bolandi’s daughter was named Dinora, and Barrios composed this delightful gavotte especially for his friend and pupil. Divagación en Imitación al Violín Here Barrios employs the term to refer to a free form composition with classical music overtones. After departing from his native Paraguay in 1910, Barrios’ creative focus centered mainly on developing works based on popular forms (such as the tango and the waltz) and folkloric music. Divagación en Imitación al Violín is one of the very earliest attempts by Barrios to compose a work in a strictly “classical” vein (hence the reference to “imitation of the violin”). Divagaciones Criollas When Barrios first arrived in Buenos Aires in 1910, he found employment playing for cinemas and theaters. An extended medley form based on folkloric melodies, Divagaciones Criollas (“Creole Wanderings”) was probably created as “filler music” to be played during intermissions and between acts. Don Perez Freire By the time Barrios arrived in Buenos Aires, the tango had obtained a remarkable widespread popularity throughout the Rio de la Plata area. As Barrios spent his time “on the street” and not in music conservatories, he came to know many popular musicians who frequented the cafes and bars where tango music flourished. Here Barrios met and became good friends with Omar Perez Freire, a Chilean composer, the creator of the extremely popular tune “Ay, Ay, Ay” (which Barrios arranged and recorded on two separate occasions in 1914 and 1928). The tango Don Perez Freire was Barrios’ musical salute to his dear friend and supporter (who may have had a hand in arranging for Barrios to visit Chile to perform during those early years). El Sueño de la Muñequita This work was probably composed by Barrios during his years in Uruguay. The Brazilian manuscript bears a different title: “Gosto de Ti” (valsa). The story associated with the creation of this work states that Barrios visited the home of an admirer and, upon entering, noticed a young girl cradling her doll, gently rocking it to sleep. Mangoré proceeded into the house. He had just bought a new pair of leather shoes that were very “squeaky”, making a lot of noise with every step he took. Looking up, the little girl admonished him: “Shh! Señor, or you will wake up my dolly!” The innocence and complete sincerity of the child touched him deeply and he replied, procuring a guitar, “I will play a soft melody to help your dolly sleep.” Thus was born El Sueño de la Muñequita, a delightful waltz of great delicacy, 10
deceptively simple but profoundly expressive. The only references to this work thus far encountered are from two programs dated April and May of 1933 in Costa Rica and a subsequent program from El Salvador dated July 1933. Thus, if he did in fact compose this work many years earlier, he never performed it with any regularity. Furthermore, the version of this work encountered in the Brazilian manuscript contains a third section in the relative major (C) that is lacking in the other versions. Escala y Preludio A work composed on August 15, 1941 in San Salvador, Escala y Preludio (“Scale and Prelude”) is examplary of Barrios’ eclectic style, combining harmonic traits from the Baroque and Romantic periods. Estilo Uruguayo Estilo Uruguayo, subtitled “Poemito Regional” (“Small Regional Poem”), is based on the Uruguayan folkloric form estilo. Barrios composed this work circa 1928 and recorded it on April 28 of that year in one take. It was also called “Luz Mala”, which in Uruguay refers to the “bad light”, a form of phosporescent light supposedly seen at night in graveyards, being attributed to the decaying of the bones of the corpses buried there. Estilo (Chinita) This is another composition Barrios created based on the Uruguayan musical form estilo. It carries the subtitle “Chinita” (“little country lass”) which was the name Barrios used to call Aida, the youngest daughter of Martín Borda y Pagola, (who was a small child during the 1920’s when Barrios spent many hours staying with the Borda y Pagola family). Estudio de Concierto Composed circa 1920, the first record we have of this work is from a program dated August 8, 1920 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The Estudio de Concierto (“Concert Study”) is one of Barrios’ most ingenious works, utilizing a constant 16th note arpeggio figure that takes a beautiful and satisfying harmonic journey. Taking into account that there is a didactic purpose -arpeggio technique for the right hand-this remarkable study keeps both hands quite occupied: the right hand incessantly repeating (but also altering) the a-m-i-p-i-m- a-m pattern as the left hand articulates position changes at least once and many times twice during a measure utilizing all positions from first through fourteenth. The voicing of the chords in relation to the strings on which they are located are perfectly realized and the melodic idea, the coordinated movements of the hands and harmonic underpinning are completely unified. The expressiveness achieved, the level of technique required to realize the work, the harmonic development and the musical form of the study--all these factors are ingeniously integrated into a remarkable concert level work for guitar. Estudio de Concierto No.2 A study focusing on scales and position shifts which Barrios created after settling in San Salvador in 1940. During this last four years of his life he continued to compose a great many works, including the 11
masterworks Preludio en Do Menor (“Prelude in C minor”) and Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios (“An Alm for the Love of God”). The Estudio de Concierto No.2 was dedicated to Dr.Mario Luís Samayoa (one of his most talented pupils in El Salvador) and reflects his increasing involvement with teaching the guitar during this last period of his life. Estudio del Ligado (A major) Study based on ‘legato’ guitar technique. Estudio del Ligado (d minor) These two studies were written in July of 1941 in San Salvador. Both were no doubt written for students to practice the slurring technique both ascending and descending. The A major study concentrates on the appoggiatura type figure of three notes in an upward-downward ligado figure, while the d minor study concentrates on longer figures of six notes alternating between descending and ascending ligados. Estudio en Arpegio A study written also in July of 1941, reminiscent somewhat of a study by Fernando Sor. Here the melody must be accented within the framework of the sixteenth-note arpeggio figure and a smooth, flowing quality must be achieved in the intepretation. Estudio en Si Menor This study Barrios composed in the 1920’s initially as a solo and subtitled it “Homage to Bach”. Many years later in El Salvador he created a second guitar part transforming the work into a duet. Estudio en Sol Menor Dedicated to his good friend and patron, Don Martin Borda y Pagola, Barrios composed this study in “the spring of 1920” (which in the southern hemisphere takes place in the months of OctoberDecember). No evidence has yet been located that he ever performed this work in concert. Estudio Inconcluso This “Inconclusive Study” does in fact impart a feeling of abrupt hesitation as if the phrases were in fact cut off before being concluded. This, however, is the musical intent of the work and does not indicate that the work is unfinished or lacking completion. No. 42 Estudio No.3 A study in E minor based on legato technique and arpeggios. No. 43 Estudio No.6 These two studies focus on arpeggio technique. Together with Arabescos (which was referred to as Estudio No.4), they are the only studies by Barrios that were assigned specific numbers. They reputedly were part of a grouping of “Eleven Concert Studies”; however, no reference to any such opus has ever been located so this assertion may in fact not be accurate. Composed in Uruguay circa 1921, the manuscript for Estudio No.6 is titled “Estudio en Mi Menor” (“Study in E Minor”). 12
Estudio para Ambas Manos This study was compsed in San Salvador on June 13, 1940 and was undoubtedly intended for his students with the didactic puropose of developing coordination between the hands which involves position changes and string shifting (Estudio para Ambas Manos translates as “Study for Both Hands”). Estudio Vals A study composed February 15, 1941 in San Salvador involving extended scalar arpeggios. Fabiniana Composed in Uruguay in 1924, this work is dedicated to the Uruguayan violinist composer Eduardo Fabini with whom Barrios played concerts on different occasions in the 1920’s. Fabiniana is an eclectic blending of classical music traits with references to the Uruguayan folkloric form known as triste (Fabini is well known for a series of works based on this instrumental form). Gavota al Estilo Antiguo Composed August 29, 1941, this delightful gavotte is yet another example of Barrios’ singular eclecticism a baroque dance form written in a classical style of harmony. Grano de Arena This work is based on a manuscript preserved by one of Barrios’ close friends in Uruguay, Don Miguel Herrera Klinger. It was composed circa 1912-13. Habanera This work was recorded by Barrios in 1924. This same work has been located in manuscripts with different titles: “Canción Maternal” and “Canción de Cuna”. Humoresque This work was composed in Uruguay in 1921 and initially published with the music publisher Carlos Trápani of Montevideo. In 1929 Barrios published this work a second time with Casa Romero Fernandez in Buenos Aires. Measures 20-32 are also part of the work Altair as measures 42-54. This is the only example of Barrios repeating himself. As to which work came first, I tend to think that Altair (which was located in a manuscript from Brazil) was composed some time prior to 1921 during the five years Barrios spent in Brazil. Isabel An early work which Barrios composed and recorded in 1914, dedicated to Isabel Villalba of Asunción. Jha Che Valle The earliest reference to this work is from a concert program dated April 15, 1923. Jha Che Valle in the Guaraní language means “Oh my homeland”. It was also called “Danza Paraguaya No. 2” and is in the polca paraguaya genre.
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Jota The well-known Spanish dance in an arrangement by Barrios and reputedly based on Francisco Tárrega’s arrangement. The earliest reference to this work is from a double-sided recording made in Buenos Aires in 1914. A concert program in Rio de Janeiro dated August 1, 1916 lists this work as the closing selection, something which Barrios did quite often until 1930 when he began featuring Diana Guaraní as the preferred work with which to end his concert performances. Julia Florida (barcarola) One of Barrios’ greatest masterpieces, Julia Florida was composed in Costa Rica in 1938. It was dedicated to his guitar pupil Julia Martinez de Rodriguez, the niece of Barrios’ good friend Francisco Salazar. Junto a tu Corazón This waltz was recorded by Barrios in 1928 but does not appear in any concert programs thus far located. Barrios reputedly made a grouping of six waltzes as an opus 8 (which included the widely known Vals Op.8, No.4 in G major and No.3 in d minor). Junto a tu Corazón (“Close to Your Heart”) is a remarkable display of how Barrios could create a very popular sounding work and transform it with his virtuosity into a true tour de force. This waltz, like Op.8, No.4, is a type of waltz known as “Boston”, in which a slow passage occurs in the third section. La Bananita La Bananita (“The Little Banana”) is an original tango that Barrios recorded in 1914. This work is exemplary of the repertoire Barrios performed and developed early in his career, particularly after he began residing in Buenos Aires in 1910. La Catedral Perhaps the most widely appreciated work by Barrios, La Catedral was composed in 1921 but like so much of his music he continually changed the work throughout his career. None of the four sources includes the Preludio in b minor (subtitled “Saudade” which Barrios composed separately in Havana, Cuba in 1938). Barrios added this prelude as a preface to the Andante Religioso and Allegro Solemne movements of La Catedral in 1939 in El Salvador and this three-movement form is the version which is most widely performed today. The Preludio is undoubtedly one of Barrios’ greatest works and it functions well as an opening movement, extending La Catedral to nearly six minutes duration. The Preludio in b minor expresses a deep sadness. This is not surprising as Barrios created the work when he was experiencing probably one of the very lowest points of his life finding himself unemployed, low on money and suffering from ill health with his marriage undergoing serious difficulties. No wonder he subtitled it “Saudade”, a word in Brazilian Portuguese used to denote a sad nostalgic longing for former times (no doubt he was recalling the many happy years he had spent in Brazil in previous decades). This quality of “saudade” he continually expressed in some of his greatest works: the well-known Choro da Saudade, the chopinesque Preludio in C minor and the magnificent tremolo Una 14
Limosna por el Amor de Dios. The second movement of La Catedral is the Andante Religioso (“Religious Andante”). La Catedral was composed when Barrios was reputedly staying in a hotel near the main Cathedral of San José in Montevideo. It has been claimed that he was inspired by the bells of the cathedral which sounded often throughout the day, and which he heard repeatedly day after day. Probably he was spending many hours in his hotel room composing music, something which he was known to do when he was not concertizing. The exact tones that the cathedral bells sounded are not known, but evidently the opening motif of the Andante Religioso was directly inspired by the ringing of those bells. The entire movement represents Barrios entering the interior of the cathedral, and the broad chords commencing at measure 12 suggest the organist playing the music of J. S. Bach. In the third movement Allegro Solemne (“Solemn Allegro”), Barrios leaves the calm serenity of the cathedral and enters the street with its hustle and bustle of traffic and people, which are depicted by the sixteenthnote arpeggio figures that characterize the entire movement. In measures 53-63 the high note in each arpeggio figure represents the tolling of the church bell. The earliest manuscript of La Catedral in Barrios’ hand is from the Borda y Pagola collection in Uruguay (dated “Autumn, 1921”), which bears the subtitle “Dístico sacro” (“Sacred Couplet”, no doubt referring to the two movements of the work). Two manuscripts in Barrios’ own hand that are identical in musical content have also been located in Costa Rica (dated July 9, 1939), and El Salvador (which carries no date but undoubtedly is from the period 1940-44. when Barrios resided in that Central American nation). Barrios recorded this work in Buenos Aires for Odeon Records on August 1, 1928. La Samaritana The earliest reference to La Samaritana (“The Samaritin Girl”) is from a concert Barrios gave in Asunción, Paraguay on September 15, 1922. Barrios composed this work in Uruguay during what could perhaps be considered his most fertile creative period: the years 1922 to 1923, when he created over 20 new original works in a little over a year’s time. Las Abejas Las Abejas (“The Bees”) was composed in 1921 in Uruguay and dedicated to Martin Borda Pagola. It is without doubt one of Barrios’ greatest works. Borda y Pagola was always exhorting Barrios to write down his music on paper, something which Barrios was lax in doing for a great number of his works (to date over 40 original works have been identified for which no manuscripts have ever been located). The story goes that Borda y Pagola became so frustrated with Barrios one day when Barrios was visiting, that Borda y Pagola locked him in a room and declared that until he wrote down a substantial amount of his music in manuscript form, he would not be allowed to leave. Thus, Barrios began working and in his fervour created Las Abejas (“The Bees”), giving it that name to show his friend that he was indeed an industrious worker like “the bees”. Las Abejas is indeed a remarkable arpeggio study in an eclectic harmonic language that achieves a revolutionary blend of virtuoso technique, originality and expressiveness. Marked “Allegro brillante”, it is a tour de force for the guitarist who attempts to 15
interpret it. Barrios did not perform this work in his concerts with regularity. Leyenda de España Another work in the “Spanish style” dedicated to Rómulo Bonilla, a guitarist friend from Montevideo, Uruguay. The earliest reference to this work is from a concert performance in Asunción, Paraguay on February 6, 1925. Barrios did not perform this work with regularity.It may have been inspired by Albéniz’s “Leyenda” which Barrios incorporated into his repertoire ca. 1924. Leyenda Guaraní Composed in 1927 at Cueva de la Tigra near Cerro Largo, Uruguay, this original manuscript was lost, and it was not until 1943 that Borda y Pagola, with the help of Pablo Escobar (1900-1970), a Paraguayan guitarist who visited Uruguay, wrote out from memory the work. London Carapé A polca paraguaya (“Paraguayan polca”) from the popular tradition, Barrios began playing this work early in his life when he still resided in his native Paraguay (until 1910). The title in the Guaraní language means “Little London” and refers to Asunción as being a diminutive version of the British capitol. Luisito Composed “in the home of my dear friend Luís Pasquet”, this work was dedicated to Pasquet’s son “little Luís”. Luís Pasquet was an amateur guitarist who resided in the town of Salto in northern Uruguay. He opened his home to Barrios and it has been claimed that Barrios stayed with Pasquet off and on for about a year during the period 1925-1926. Luz Mala This work was a last minute substitute to fulfil a contract to publish the work “Luz Mala” (which is the subtitle for the Estilo Uruguayo, one of a group of nine works which Barrios published with the Buenos Aires publishing house Casa Romero Fernandez). It is a simple work, somewhat jovial in nature. It was never performed by Barrios in concert. Mabelita The gavotte Mabelita (“Little Mabel”) was composed in Montevideo in the early 1920’s and dedicated to the daughter of one of Barrios’ great admirers, Rómulo Bonilla. Madrecita This charming minuet Madrecita (“Little Mother”) was dedicated to Barrios’ friend Luís Pasquet. Madrigal Gavota Madrigal Gavota was composed in Brazil and the first reference to this work is found in a program dated December 12, 1918 in Sao Paulo, where it is titled “Gavotte-madrigal”. It was dedicated to Barrios’ younger brother, the poet Martín Barrios. This work remained a part of Barrios’ repertoire his entire life, and he recorded it on two separate occasions: in 1921 (Odeon 609) and 1928 (the recording 16
from 1921 has not yet been found). He also published this work initially with the Uruguayan music entrepeneur Carlos U. Trápani (in the early 1920’s) and in 1928 with Casa Romero Fernandez in Buenos Aires. Madrigal Gavota is exemplary of the eclectic nature of Barrios’ compositional style combining the rhythm of the gavotte with the singing lyricism of a madrigal (thus mixing a Baroque form with a Renaissance form). The work is in rondo form and is one of the earliest examples that illustrate the salient characteristics of Barrios’ style: 1) a singing, expressive quality with a memorable melody; 2) modulation to neighboring key centres; 3) utilization of the entire range of the guitar fingerboard from first through fifteenth positions; 4) the eclectic fusion of musical forms without regard to historical period. Maxixe Based on the urban popular dance from Brazil, Maxixe is a work of great virtuosity that Barrios composed circa 1927. No evidence of his ever having performed this work in concert has yet been encountered. Barrios had to record four separate takes of this work before he was satisfied. Mazurca Apassionata A work composed circa 1919 in Brazil, also titled “The Soul of María Ester”. This composition is a classic mazurka that recounts the history of a love relationship Barrios experienced while living in Brazil (1916-1920), and María Ester is no doubt the lady in question. The Mazurca Apassionata (“Impassioned Mazurka”) is exemplary of Barrios’ command of romantic forms and is probably the greatest work in this genre ever conceived for the guitar. Medallón Antiguo Medallón Antiguo (“The Old Medallion”) was composed in Brazil and bears the subtitle “En la manera de los antiguos vihuelistas” (“In the style of the old vihuelists”). The first three notes of Medallón Antiguo are from a song by Pergolesi performed by an opera diva with whom Barrios was reputedly carrying on a secret love affair. The “Old Medallion” refers to a piece of jewellery she habitually wore which Barrios would always find some pretext to fondle upon their meeting in public, and in the process surreptitiously succeed in touching his beloved without anyone realizing it. Milonga A work typical of the popular repertoire Barrios concentrated on during his early years. The milonga was an urban form of Argentine - Uruguayan music that predated the tango and which enjoyed great popularity during the late 19th century in the Rio de la Plata area. Barrios’ Milonga is a series of variations based on the harmonic progression of I - V7 in two-measure phrases. Minueto en Do Mayor A minuet composed in El Salvador circa 1941.
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Minueto en La (No.1) Barrios composed seven minuets and recorded a minuet by Fernando Sor, all of which indicate his predilection for this classical form. This work was composed in Uruguay in the 1920’s and published originally through Carlos U. Trápani in Montevideo. Minueto en La (No.2) A work which Barrios recorded in 19224 and which he performed in concerts infrequently. Minueto en Mi Mayor This work was composed in Uruguay but apparently never performed in concert. Minueto en Si Mayor A formidable concert work published by Barrios in 1929 in Buenos Aires with Casa Romero Fernandez. Oración Oración (“Prayer”), also known as “Plegaria” and “Oración de la Tarde”, was composed circa 1924 in Uruguay and expresses a feeling of reverence and supplication. This beautiful composition is exemplary of a quality in Barrios’ music that I term “emotional mysticism”. Oración por Todos This work, probably composed circa 1923, features the melody placed in a middle voice, a difficult technique of writing that requires great skill on the guitar. Again, as with Oración, the mood expressed in this composition is one of reverent prayer. País de Abanico This work was composed and published in 1928 in Buenos Aires. The name “Country of the Fan” derives from an oval porcelain piece that was part of a hand fan as used by the ladies of the era (the title does not refer to Japan as has been claimed by some). This porcelain object often times had elaborate scenes painted on it, exhibiting great detail, creating a complete “country”. País de Abanico is one of Barrios’ most advanced works, exhibiting some interesting harmonic modulations. Pepita A romantic waltz in the style of the late nineteenth century (reminiscent of works by Franz Lehar and Emil Waldteufel), Pepita required two sides of a 78 rpm disc. Pericón Pericón is a masterful creation that reveals what Barrios could do with a folk dance rhythm, transforming it into a tour de force for concert performances. The recording of this work is in F major while the manuscript encountered in Uruguay is in G major (which in all probability underscores the fact that Barrios composed the G major version first and then changed it, ultimately deciding that F major was a more effective key). The virtuoso technical demands of this work together with its ingenious harmonic modulations make the Pericón one of Barrios’ greatest works. 18
Preludio Op.5, No.1 Also called “Preludio en sol menor” (“Prelude in G minor’), this work was composed in 1921 in Uruguay and published in 1929 in Buenos Aires with Casa Romero Fernandez. An homage to J. S. Bach, it is one of Barrios’ greatest works. The use of opus numbers was purportedly an attempt by Barrios’ friend Martín Borda y Pagola to organize and “legitimize” Barrios’ compositions. However, outside of opus 5 (which was sup-posedly a group of preludes) and opus 8 (a group of waltzes), no other opus numbers were ever assigned to the great number of works Barrios created. Preludio en Do Mayor Subtitled “Petit Prelude”, this work is believed to be one of the last that he created before his death on August 7, 1944 in San Salvador. Preludio en Do Menor Another outstanding work that can be considered one of his finest, this melancholic prelude, reminiscent of Chopin, was composed in El Salvador in October of 1940. Preludio en La Menor This Beethovenesque prelude was dedicated to his friend in Costa Rica, Don Francisco Salazar. Preludio en Mi Involving ligado technique and position shifting, this work is a charming prelude dedicated to his friend and guitar pupil Walter Bolandi. Preludio en Mi Menor A prelude of cascading arpeggios which Barrios composed in Guatemala. Preludio en Re Menor Subtitled “Preludio no. 3”, this is another short work dating from the last years of his life in El Salvador. Rancho Quemado (estilo) Rancho Quemado (“Burnt Ranch”) was composed in Salto, Uruguay circa 1925. The estilo is a musical form widespread in Argentina and Uruguay. This short work was dedicated to Renato Llantada who had lost his home in a fire. Romance de la India Muerta This work was composed in 1927 in Rocha, Uruguay at the behest of Martín Borda y Pagola, Barrios’ friend and patron. The title, translated as “Romance of Dead Indian Girl”, refers to a local legend of an Indian woman who was killed during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), carrying out a mission for General Fructuoso Rivera. Romanza en Imitación al Violoncello (“Romance in Imitation of the Cello”) was composed in Brazil in 1918 and features the melody in the bass register. It is the earliest example of this technique in Barrios’ catalogue. Also titled “Página d’ 19
Album” and “Fuegos Fátuos”, this beautifully melodic composition reveals an ingenious separation of the melody from the accompanying harmonies, utilizing a scordatura of the 5th string tuned to G and the 6th string tuned to D (a favorite altered tuning used by Barrios for numerous other works such as A mi Madre, Aire Popular Paraguyao, Choro da Saudade, Confesión, Tua Imagem and Un Sueño en la Floresta). Sargento Cabral An early composition based on the rhythm of the Argentine zamba. Sarita This delightful work was dedicated to Sara, the daughter of the Argentine guitar maker Rodolfo Camacho (1887-1973), whose guitars Barrios admired and reputedly played. The form of this work is that of a mazurka featuring an ebullient melody and a playfulness that no doubt was inspired by Sarita (“Little Sara”). The major difference between the two recordings regards the length of the work: the 1924 version com-prises 78 measures while the later 1928 version is 117 measures (and is the preferred version). Serenata Morisca Composed circa 1921, this is yet another of Barrios’ “Spanish works”, perhaps inspired by the Serenata Morisca (“Moorish Serenade”) by the Spanish guitarist Juan Parga. Invariably Barrios used this work to open many of his concerts. Tango No.2 This work was probably composed early on by Barrios after his arrival in Buenos Aires in 1910. Barrios obviously cultivated this form of popular music, the three other tangos he composed from this period being Bicho Feo, Don Perez Freire and La Bananita. Tarantella Subtitled “Recuerdos de Napoles” (“Memories of Naples”), Tarantella was based on a composition by a blind Brazilian guitarist named Albano Levino de Conceicao whom Barrios knew when he lived in Brazil. The first notice of this work is from a program in Sorocaba, Brazil in 1918. Barrios initially credited the work to Conceicao until 1921 when Barrios featured it on his concert programs as a composition exclusively by Barrios. This work is a tour de force that Barrios performed throughout his career. The differences between the two recordings are primarily of length: the 1924 version is 189 measures and the 1928 version is 214 measures. Tua Imagem A sentimental, popular waltz, Tua Imagem (“Your Image”) was composed in Brazil probably before 1920 but never performed by Barrios in concert. Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios The last major work that Barrios created before his death on August 7, 1944, Una Limosna por el 20
Amor de Dios (“Alms for the Love of God”) is perhaps the greatest tremolo work ever written for the guitar. The story surrounding this work is that across the street from the house where Barrios resided in San Salvador there was a beggar who would position himself each day and petition people passing by with the phrase “Una limosna por el amor de Dios?” (a common phrase used by beggars throughout Latin America). Hearing this phrase repeatedly day after day, Barrios was inspired to create this work. The music is in fact implorative in nature and the insistent figure of the bass line, ingeniously repeated throughout the work underpinning the melody played as a tremolo, represents the unrelenting query of the mendicant. This work has erroneously been called “El Ultimo Canto” and “La Ultima Canción” (both titles meaning “The Last Song”), as if Barrios somehow knew beforehand when he composed this work in May of 1944 that he would die a few months later in August. Un Sueño en la Floresta (“A Dream in the Forest”) is one of Barrios’ greatest works and quite probably the most complex treatment of the tremolo technique ever created. Barrios composed this work early in his life while residing in Brazil (the first reference is from a program dated May 19, 1918). At that time he titled this work “Souvenir d’ un Réve” (“Memories of a Dream”) and continued to use this title up until 1930. He recorded the work on a 10 inch 78 rpm record in 1928 and because of its extended length both sides of the disc. Vals de Primavera A romantic, popular work that contains some interesting harmonic modulation and a work which Barrios considered one of his finest. He performed this waltz in concert during the period from 1921 to 1923, but evidently eliminated it from his concert repertoire after that. Vals Op.8, No.3 This Chopinesque waltz is one of Barrios’ most popular works which he composed circa 1919 while still in Brazil. He recorded this work in 1928. The use of an opus number for this work was reputedly the idea of his good friend Martín Borda y Pagola, who suggested it to Barrios as a way of “dignifying” his compositions. However, outside of this work and the companion waltz Vals Op.8, No.4 plus the Preludio Op.8, No.1, no other works were ever assigned opus numbers. Vals Op.8, No.4 The most popular of all the waltzes composed by Barrios, this work was originally titled “Vals Brillante”. Composed in Paraguay in 1923, it was dedicated to his boyhood friend Dionisio Basualdo. This work is remarkable in its use of the campanella technique in the third section (measures 109-140). Vals Tropical This work was discovered as a manuscript in El Salvador which bore no title. The El Salvadorean composer Dr Carlos Payés suggested the title as it is known that Barrios performed a work with this name in a program given on December 4, 1932 in Bogotá, Colombia. No other references to Vals 21
Tropical (“Tropical Waltz”) have yet been located, and it is not known when this composition was created. Variaciones sobre un Tema de Tárrega Composed in Guatemala in November of 1939, this major work consists of six variations on the well-known work “Lágrima” by Francisco Tárrega (1852- 1909). It is a virtuoso display of Barrios’ mastery of the guitar utilizing arpeggios, tremolo, trills, harmonics and chordal techniques. Variaciones sobre el Punto Guanacasteco Composed in Costa Rica in 1939, this extended theme and variations is based on a popular Costa Rican dance from the province of Guanacaste, known as the “Punto Guanacasteco”. Barrios presented this work only once in concert at the National Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica on March 29, 1939. Vidalita con variaciones A popular Argentine folk melody that Barrios re-corded in 1914 in Buenos Aires. This version is in the key of a minor. Vidalita Yet another treatment of the popular Argentine folk theme in the key of d minor. Villancico de Navidad Composed on December 23, 1943 and dedicated to the child Martita Curias Arias, this beautiful “Christmas carol” carried the dedicatory phrase “The angels from Heaven sing to Martita during her days”. © Richard Stover
Cristiano Porqueddu began studying classical guitar at the age of seven under the tutelage of his father. He attended Masters and specialist courses all over Europe to study the technique and interpretation of original guitar repertoire. He went on to win several awards and international competitions and came to know the guitarist-composer Angelo Gilardino. Having struck up a working relationship with the composer from Vercelli, and under his guidance, he graduated with honours from the Lorenzo Perosi Conservatoire, Biella, Italy. He has been critically acclaimed as ‘a point of reference for the new generation of guitarists’ and he gives concerts around Europe and the United States. He sits on international juries for guitar competitions and holds his own specialisation courses and seminars in Europe and in the US. In 2002 he made his first recordings; since 2008 Brilliant Classics has distributed his recordings to over 40 countries, where they have been received to great acclaim. Porqueddu is one of the most prolific artists in the research and recording of original 20th- and 21st-century repertoire. Over the course of 12 years, Porqueddu has worked on 16 recording projects (for a total of 25 CDs), always maintaining the highest artistic standards. These inlcude Trascendentia (Angelo Gilardino: Complete Music for Solo Guitar), Novecento Guitar Preludes, Gilardino: Concertos for Guitar and Orchestra, Agustín Barrios Mangoré: Complete Music for Solo Guitar, and many more. Since June 2012, he has been working on a major project: a 14-CD set of Angelo Gilardino’s complete works for solo guitar (1965–2013). Porqueddu’s recordings are acclaimed worldwide for his highly accomplished interpretations and tireless research into previously unknown works. In December 2007, Angelo Gilardino dedicated the Concerto di Oliena to him. In 2010 he won first prize in the Orphée Composition Competition, Ohio, USA, and to this day his own works for guitar are enthusiastically welcomed by critics and composers. Cristiano Porqueddu lives in Sardinia where he teaches and is the Artistic Director of the Agustín Barrios International Guitar Competition as well as the Associazione Musicare. For more information and full details of Porqueddu’s recordings and compositions, please visit www.cristianoporqueddu.com I want to thank my friends:
Recording: from February 2009 to September 2010, Chiesa della Solitudine Chiesa San Carlo, Nuoro, Italy Sponsored by: Associazione Musicare di Nuoro, Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Provincie di Nuoro P 2010 & C 2014 Brilliant Classics
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Richard «Rico» Stover for beautiful CD Set notes Diosnel Herrnsdorf for his for his precious kindness and courtesy Tony Morris for all information’s about Barrios LP transcriptions Angelo Gilardino for his big patience Cristiano Porqueddu 23