Gaspar Sanz c.1640–1710 Complete Music for Guitar
CD1 1 Jácaras 2 Marionas 3 Villanos 4 Dance de las hachas – La Buelta 5 Españoletas 6 Pavana 7 Torneo 8 Batalla 9 Passacalle sobre la D con muchas Diferencias para soltar una y otra mano 10 Gallardas 11 Canarios 12 Preludio y fantasía con mucha variedad de falsas para los que se precian de Aficionados por la O 13 Alemanda ‘la Serenissima’ 14 Jiga al aire Inglés 15 Zarabanda francesa 16 Preludio, o Capricho arpeado por la – Sesquiáltera 17 Alemanda ‘la Preciosa’ 18 Coriente 19 Zarabanda francesa 20 Fuga 1ª, por primer Tono al ayre Español 21 Al que gustare de falsas ponga cuido en estos Cromáticos 22 Fuga 2ª, al ayre de Jiga 23 Zarabanda francesa
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59’03 3’12 3’07 1’33 0’58 3’00 1’20 0’40 0’40 2’09 2’26 4’40 2’29 2’10 1’44 0’38 1’42 2’36 1’09 1’01 1’29 0’52 0’38 0’38
24 Passacalles por la E 25 Passacalles por la ✠, con varios pasajes, Campanelas, y con cromáticos las 8 últimas diferencias 26 Folías 27 Rujero 28 Paradetas 29 Matachín 30 Zarabanda 31 Chacona 32 Españoletas 33 Pasacalles 34 Mariçápalos CD2 1 Granduque 2 Otro Granduque 3 Passacalles 4 Pavanas por la D, con Partidas al Aire español 5 Jiga inglesa 6 Bailete francés 7 Passacalles por la O 8 Clarines y Trompetas con Canciones muy curiosas Españolas, y de estranjeras Naciones 9 La Cavallería de Nápoles con dos Clarines 10 Canciones 11 La Garzona 12 La Coquina francesa 13 Lantururú
2’18 2’49 1’22 0’44 0’48 0’57 0’38 1’15 1’55 0’41 3’16 55’43 2’56 1’15 1’04 2’39 0’48 0’37 3’20 1’28 1’13 0’40 0’36 0’40 0’43
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La esfachata de Nápoles La Miñona de Cataluña La Minina de Portugal Dos Trompetas de la Reyna de Suecia Clarín de los Mosqueteros del Rey de Francia Baile de Mantua (Giuseppino del Biado/Gaspar Sanz, arr. A. Mesirca) La Tarantela (arr. A. Mesirca) Passacalles por la C por Cruçado y por quinto Tono punto alto Prosiguen más diferencias sobre los antecedentes Passacalles con falsas a tres y quatro voces y Cromáticos Passacalles por la I Passacalles por la E, y D, por el Cinco y Seis, y por Primero y Quarto Tono Estos Passeos son por 4 Tono Passacalles por la ✠, y K por el Siete y el Ocho, por Tercer Tono, y 4° punto alto Paso por el Ocho y K² Passacalles por la H, por el Quatro y por Quinto Tono punto bajo Passacalles por la G, y B por el Tres, y Dos y por el Sexto y Quinto Tono Passeos por la B Passacalles por la O, por el Uno bemolado, y por Segundo Tono Passacalles por la L, por el Dos bemolado, y por Primer Tono punto Passacalles por la K², por el Ocho, y por Quarto Tono punto alto
Alberto Mesirca guitar
0’41 0’24 0’35 0’37 0’40 1’06 0’52 2’25 3’19 2’21 1’25 2’00 1’56 1’45 3’08 1’45 1’50 3’24 3’14 2’53
Gaspar Sanz Composer, theorist and guitarist Gaspar Sanz was born in Calanda in Aragón in 1640. His name appears in records from 1669, when he took part in the competitive examinations known as oposiciones with a view to becoming professor of music at Salamanca University. According to the Aragonese scholar Félix de Latassa, Sanz had studied humanities at that same university, from which he had eventually graduated in theology. The post of professor of music became vacant on the retirement of Juan Berjón de la Real, and on 13 July 1669, notices announcing the contest for the chair were posted in each of the university faculties, as well as at other colleges and at the cathedral, whose capilla de música traditionally provided the candidates for this job. Sanz asked to be allowed to give a masterclass (customary procedure in most such competitions), convinced his humanist background would enable him to outdo the cathedral musicians, but his request was refused, favouring his opponent, who was ultimately given the post. The examiners’ report stated that Sanz had done better than his rival in theoretical matters ‘on account of his extensive knowledge of Latin’, but that he had lacked ideas when it came to composition. Indeed Berjón’s report says that when Sanz was asked what he had composed recently he replied that ‘he had never written anything but with time would get round to doing so’. It is astonishing, therefore, that only five years later, in 1674, Sanz published the first edition of his Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española (Musical Instruction for the Spanish Guitar), which contains numerous compositions. In the Prologue to his book, the composer himself tells his readers these are his first works. Sanz is known to have spent time in Rome and in Naples, where he is thought to have studied with Orazio Benevoli, Pietro Andrea Ziani and Lelio Colista, but everything we know about his Italian travels (there is no other supporting documentary evidence) comes from the composer himself, who mentions in the Instrucción de música’s dedicatory inscription that he spent time in Italy; in its Prologue that he had teachers in Rome and Naples; in its First Treatise that he attached himself in the academies to some Roman maestros from whom he learned his art, notably Lelio Colista; and in the section entitled ‘Documents and general advice for accompanying the solo part on the guitar’ that he considers his true teacher to have been Cristóbal Carisani, organist of the Royal Chapel in Naples. He also states that some of the teachings of Orazio Benevoli and Pietro Andrea Ziani appear in the book. Similarly he makes it known that he knows the work of numerous
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guitarists from Italy (Foscarini, Kapsberger, Pelegrin, Granata, Fardino, Corbetta), Spain (Juan Carlos Amat) and Portugal (Nicolao Doizi de Velasco). In addition, he tells us that the manuscript, or at least part of it (the ‘Laberinto en la guitarra que enseña un son por 12 partes con quantas diferencias quisieren’ – a chart showing how it is possible to play the chord progression of a passacaglia in any key), was written before he went to Italy, and read by its dedicatee, Don John of Austria the Younger. John, a great music-lover, was the illegitimate son of Philip IV and had been appointed viceroy of the Kingdom of Aragon. Since 29 June 1669, he had been living in his choice of official residence, the archbishop’s palace in Zaragoza. Sanz dedicated the first six editions of his publication to Don John, adding a new dedicatory passage to the sixth in which he entreats the governor of Aragon: that “this book may have the honour of being placed before Your Highness”. Sanz’s music reveals him to have been a key figure in bridging two different musical traditions – the Spanish and the Italian. Again, we know from his own testimony that music from outside Spain was being performed in Zaragoza in his lifetime, notably ‘chromatic violin sonatas that come from Italy’ (the cultural influence of Austria, of course, with its leanings for the Italian style, would also have made itself felt in the city at that time). Very little is known about Sanz’s life after his time in Zaragoza (1674–75). He devoted some of his time to literary activities, and from his non-musical publications we can place him in Madrid between 1678 and 1682. In the latter year, a posthumous translation of the epigrams of John Owen by the poet and dramatist Francisco de la Torre y Sevil was published, featuring an epigram by Sanz addressed in tribute to the late Spanish writer, in which he refers to himself as a priest. Before this, Sanz had written two books dedicated to the papal legate Mellini, published in Madrid in 1678 and 1681, works in which he displays considerable erudition, employing a style similar to that of emblematic literature. According to Latassa, he died in Madrid in 1710, a date confirmed by musicologists Barbieri and Lozano, but for which there is no documentary evidence.
Diego Xaraba y Bruno. Sanz also mentions various Spanish and Italian maestri di cappella without specifically naming them. His training has to be seen as primarily Italian, and the greatest influence on his music as coming from Italy. His being completely unaware of the vihuela, an instrument scarcely a century old, is significant. He obviously had not encountered French, German or English music, or treatises such as that written by the Galician guitarist Luis Briçeño, which was printed in Paris. Sanz’s own renown, meanwhile, endured at least a century (he is described as ‘famous’ by guitarist Antonio Abreu in 1799), and entire sections of the Instrucción de música appear in certain manuscripts. His influence on guitarists of successive generations was enormous.
Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española It is useful to place Sanz’s Instrucción de música in context in the history of music and of the guitar. Sanz mentions his knowledge of the works of Foscarini, Kapsberger, Pellegrini, Granata, Amat, Doizi and Colista, as well as citing other, non-guitarist, musicians, such as ‘Maestro Capitán’ (Mateo Romero), Veneboli, Ciano and Carisani, while the book’s ‘letters of approval’ come from Sebastián Alfonso and
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Structure and Aims of the Work Gaspar Sanz’s complete work was published in books that came out consecutively, under the overall title Musical Instruction on the Spanish Guitar and a Method for first rudiments through to dextrous playing. With two ingenious Charts, a variety of Tunes and Dances in Chords and Tablature, in the Spanish, Italian, French and English styles. With a short Treatise on how to accompany a solo part to perfection for the Guitar, Harp and Organ set out in twelve rules with fundamental examples of Counterpoint and Composition. Written by Gaspar Sanz of Aragón, born in Calanda, Bachelor of Theology from the Illustrious University of Salamanca. Licensed in Zaragoza by the Heirs of Diego Dormer. It includes the following parts: First Treatise
✠ Nineteen rules covering technical aspects: tuning, positioning of the right and left hands, strumming, plucking, etc.
✠ Six engravings showing chord fingerings and music for playing in rasgueado (strummed) style ✠ Eight engravings of music to be played in punteado (plucked) style Second Treatise ✠ ‘Documents and general advice on accompanying a solo part on guitar, harp, organ or any other instrument. Set out in twelve rules with examples of counterpoint and composition most essential for this technique’ ✠ Three engravings of examples for the preceding rules ✠ Three engravings of music to be played in punteado style Second Book of Tablature for the Spanish Guitar Repeats some of the previous engravings with the addition of ✠ Ten engravings with various compositions in punteado style Third Book of Tablature Music for the Spanish Guitar ✠ ‘Contains the most advanced Passacaglia Variations written thus far by the Composer, in each of the eight principal Modes of polyphony and with the rarest and richest chords and progressions on the Guitar’ ✠ Ten engravings of passacaglias, listed in the index as ‘Partidas’
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This book seems to be addressed to both aficionados and beginners: ‘This treatise will act as a summary and set of first rudiments … for young musicians inclined to learn so that after the principal tasks of study, the virtuoso may banish idleness with so worthy an exercise as this … and once the soul is revived, you may return to your principal occupation’. By contrast, the Second Treatise is aimed at professional musicians, ‘to perform the chromatic violin sonatas that come from Italy and which – because there is no one here who can teach them to the musicians of Spain (although they are highly skilled) – seem very new to these players, who encounter great difficulties when they see Italian music written down with so many sharps and flats’. Another possible readership is hinted at in the text on folio 18: ‘For those beginning to play in strummed style and teach dancing’. It seems likely that these works were danced to, and are not just musical compositions built on dance themes. This may well be one of the reasons why so many books of guitar music appeared in Europe, even if many of them had little in the way of musical content and rarely demonstrated knowledge of any performance technique other than the strummed style. The book was certainly warmly received in the theatrical world, especially the part devoted to continuo accompaniment and the series of passacaglias. Generally the passacaglia is considered a dance genre similar to the folia or chaconne, used as a basis on which to build variations. However, for Sanz and his readers it was first and foremost a prelude to a song or sonata, as can be deduced from his ‘Eleventh Rule to know in which mode the Passacaglia is to be played, when it is necessary to accompany a bass line: the rule is not where it begins, but where it ends, for in many cases the melodic lines enter and the bass waits and enters imitating in the perfect fifth of the mode, for which reason, so as not to make a mistake, it is essential to check where that piece of music ends, and having done so, you will play the Passacaglia in that mode, giving it the major or minor third…’. The rest of the repertoire is made up of ‘national and foreign’ songs. A lot of emphasis has been placed on the folk roots of these works, but this is less important than is often claimed. In Sanz’s day, canarios, folias, gallardas, españoletas and so on would have been widely known, but this does not mean they should now be considered as folk music in the strict sense. While it is true that the origins of these tunes lie in the folk tradition, it is also the case that by the time Sanz published the Instrucción de música, they had already long been part of art music, and it is from this latter source that he drew his inspiration. As we have seen, much of his musical education took place in Italy, and it is more than likely that he encountered all these songs and dances there, in instrumental versions.
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Sources Casares Rodicio, E., Fernández de la Cuesta, I., López-Calo, J. (2002). Diccionario de la Música Española e Hispanoamericana, Fundación Autor–Sociedad General de Autores y Editores. Rey Marcos, J.J. (1977). ‘Estudio analítico y comparativo de la “Instrucción de Música” de Gaspar Sanz’, Estudios de Musicología Aragonesa, ed. Carreras López, J.J. Vera, A. (2015). ‘Intertextualidad en la música para guitarra del siglo XVIII: citas, paráfrasis y alusiones en la obra de Santiago de Murcia’, Acta Musicologica vol.87/1, pp. 31–47. Vera, A. (2015). ‘The Circulation of Instrumental Music between Old and New Worlds: New Evidence from Sources Preserved in Mexico City and Lima’, Eighteenth-Century Music, vol.12/2, pp. 183–196. García Gallardo, C.L. (2010). ‘La teoría modal polifónica en el Barroco español y su aplicación en los pasacalles de Gaspar Sanz’, Revista de Musicología, vol.33 no.1/2, pp. 83–100. Hall, M. (2003). ‘Baroque Guitar Stringing: A Survey of the Evidence’, Lute Society Booklets, no.9. Willard, J. (2006). The Complete Works of Gaspar Sanz, vols.1 & 2. Amsco Publications.
Note on the recording All the works in punteado style have been recorded. I have tried to unite these with their corresponding parts or dances in rasgueado style, and to unify the different versions of a dance appearing more than once in the three volumes. I have arranged the dances ‘La tarantela’ and ‘Baile de Mantua’, which originally appeared only in rasgueado versions. In the former case I have written the additional punteado music myself, in the latter I have made an arrangement of the piece that inspired Sanz’s version: ‘Fuggi, fuggi, fuggi da questo cielo’ by Giuseppe Cenci (a.k.a. Giuseppino del Biado, d.1616). The only parts of the Instrucción de música omitted from this recording are the continuo harmonisations (the Examples of the Rules for Accompanying a solo part on the Guitar and other Instruments) from the first book, and some of the rasgueado dances from the beginning of the same book whose function is purely explanatory (the Demonstration of this work in two Passacaglias and the second Chart of cadences using false relations and dissonant chords).
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Italian classical guitarist Alberto Mesirca was born in 1984. Kenneth Keaton of American Record Guide praised his Scarlatti Sonatas as ‘the best Scarlatti I’ve heard on solo guitar’, while Classical Guitar Magazine hailed a ‘superb recording from the prodigiously talented Mesirca’. He completed his Bachelor and Master of Arts at the Conservatory of Castelfranco Veneto, in the class of eminent teacher Gianfranco Volpato, receiving the highest score, ‘Summa cum laude’, and special honours. He undertook further study at the Music Academy of Kassel (Germany) with Wolfgang Lendle. His final examination concert was praised with highest honours. He is a twotime winner of the “Golden Guitar” Award, for Best Recording in 2007 and as Best Upcoming Artist of the Year in 2009. With the collaboration of Hopkinson Smith and Franco Pavan he published the previously unknown and unpublished compositions of Francesco Da Milano appearing in the Castelfranco Veneto 1565 Lute Manuscript, distributed now by Editions Orphée. This rediscovery led Dušan Bogdanović to dedicate a composition called Tre Ricercari sulla Compagna, on a theme of Da Milano, to Alberto.
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He was named Assistant Professor of the Guitar Class at the Conservatory of Castelfranco Veneto in 2009. Through hundreds of concerts he has had the opportunity to work with such excellent musicians as Dimitri Ashkenazy, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Martin Rummel, Daniel Rowland, Domenico Nordio, Marco De Santi, András Adorján, Peter and Jonas Giger, Mirko Satto, the Enesco, Ardeo and Acies string quartets, Quartetto d’Archi di Venezia, ChamberJam Europe and Ex Novo Ensemble. Recent years have seen an intense schedule of performances, lectures and masterclasses, which have led him to the University of Auckland (New Zealand), the Guitar Foundation of America Convention (Georgia, USA), the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), a national premiere for the Stradivari Foundation of a composition by György Kurtág after his recent collaboration with the composer, to the Silesian Guitar Autumn in Tychy (Poland), the Festival Classique in The Hague and the Beethoven Festival in Melbourne (Australia), among many others, along with recent performances at the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Teatro La Fenice (Venice), Teatro Regio di Parma, L’Auditori Nacional de Música (Valencia), Kunsthalle Wien and at the Italian Insitutes of Culture in Paris, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm and Barcelona, as well as at the eminent chamber music festivals ChamberJam (Dusseldorf) and KammermusikTage (Osnabrück). In collaboration with Marc Ribot, Mesirca recorded the complete guitar works of the Haitian composer Frantz Casséus. In December 2011 he was in charge of the digitalisation and creation of the Musical Archive of the Beyazıt State Library in Istanbul. Mesirca premiered a Leo Brouwer composition at the 2013 Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival. In 2013 his recording British Guitar Music, published by Paladino Music OG, won the ‘Golden Guitar’ Award for Best Recording of the Year. The following year saw him perform in a number of concerts, including appearances at the City Hall of Helsinki, for the Guitar Foundation of America in Los Angeles, at the Italian Institutes of Culture in San Francisco and Stockholm, at the International Chamber Music Festivals of Stift, Kuhmo and Lessines, for the ‘Semana Tarrega’ in Valencia and in New York with Marc Ribot. www.albertomesirca.com
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Warm thanks for their immeasurable assistance to Frédéric Zigante, Massimo Lonardi, Romina Basso, Ulrik Gaston Larsen, Giancarlo Rado, Mimmo Peruffo, John Griffiths, Ivano Zanenghi, Alejandro Vera, Monica Hall, Francisco Valdivia, Andrea De Marchi, Maria Marchioro
Recording: November and December 2017, Virtual Studio, Treviso, Italy Sound engineer: Andrea de Marchi Guitar by Stephen Murphy Strings: Aquila Strings Cover: The Guitar Player (c.1700), Jacop van Schuppen (1670–1751) Artist Photo: Franco Vanzo P & C 2018 Brilliant Classics
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