ETUDE
March 1941
volume LIX
number 3
page 209-210

Dionisio Aguado, Guitarist and Composer

By George C. Krick

THIS DEPARTMENT, from time to time, has presented short biographies of men who, through their genius and undivided devotion to their chosen instrument, the guitar, have brought it to the attention of the musical public, and, who, by their ability as composers, have greatly enriched the original literature for the instrument. We have discussed the careers of several guitarists of the classic era – Ferdinand Sor, Mauro Giuliani and those who came later, such as J. K. Mertz and Francisco Tarrega; also the contemporary artists, William Foden, J. Martinez Oyanguren, Luigi Mozzani and Andres Segovia.

When we read of their early struggles and disappointments, followed later by successes and triumphs, we cannot help but admire them for their persistence and industry in behalf of the guitar; nor can we fail to derive inspiration to carry on the work which they so ably inaugurated. We must remember that these early pioneers at the beginning of the nineteenth century had to depend mostly on their own resources and, aside from receiving some rudimentary instruction from obscure teachers, were entirely self-taught. It was up to them to create new technic, to invent new artistic effects and to write original compositions for the guitar; all of which may be enjoyed by the present day guitar student.

Among these early pioneers Dionisio Aguado, the Spanish guitar virtuoso and composer, occupies an enviable position. Born in Madrid, April 8th, 1784, son of a notary, he showed a strong predeliction for music quite early in life. His elementary studies in music and the guitar were received from a monk at a college in Madrid and later he studied with Manuel Garcia, the renowned singer, who was also an accomplished guitarist. In 1803 we find him living in the village of Fuenlabrada, where he devoted himself to the perfection of his technic. There, too, he developed his system of fingering and harmonic effects which were later incorporated in his “Method”, published in Madrid in 1825. A second edition of his valuable book was published in Paris in 1827 and a third in Madrid in 1843. Paris, at this time the musical center of western Europe, now proved a magnet that attracted Aguado, and he arrived there in the early part of 1825. He remained in Paris until 1838, giving concerts, teaching and composing. He made many friends in the city among the most celebrated artists of his period and here also he became acquainted with his countryman, the guitar virtuoso, Ferdinand Sor. In time these two artists became intimate friends; and Sor composed a duet for two guitars for Aguado and himself, entitled Les deux Amis.

Two Different Styles

Although of the same nationality and of the same period, Aguado and Sor differed materially in their style of playing the guitar. In Aguado’s youth most guitarists were strangers to music composed for other instruments and confined themselves mainly to playing music written especially for guitar. Their object was to play rapid passages in order to dazzle and astonish the public. A theme with numerous variations to be played at breakneck speed was the order of the day. Aguado, however, had an instinctive leaning towards a better type of music and, as soon as he was left to his own resources, his exquisite taste and musicianship began to show in his performances and original compositions. It is a curious fact that he alone of all the great guitarists played with long finger nails, which resulted in a rather nasal sounding tone, which, however, was clear and of beautiful quality. In addition he possessed extraordinary velocity, as shown in many of his etudes and other compositions, and his concerts invariably attracted large audiences. Sor on the other hand was known for his full, round and powerful tone, produced with the tips of the fingers, and while both artists must be ranked among the greatest, there is no doubt about Sor’s method of playing being the better of the two.

Aguado is credited with the invention of the so-called “Tripodion”, a three-legged stand, on which he rested his guitar while playing. This enabled him to play in either a sitting or a standing position; and he also claimed that, since in this manner the instrument was kept away from the body of the performer, the volume of tone was greatly increased, while at the same time there was more freedom for both hands in executing difficult passages.

The writer well remembers a concert given several years ago in Town Hall, New York, by the Italian guitarist, Pasquale Taraffo, who utilized a similar device. Standing behind a pedestal on which he rested his guitar he played quite a lengthy program of fairly difficult compositions, and it was evident that this hollow pedestal was responsible for an increased volume of tone. Ferdinand Sor evidently had a good opinion of the “Tripodion” as he composed Fantasie Elegiagne, Op. 59, to be played on the guitar held in position by this device. Of this Fantasie, Sor says, “Without the excellent invention of my friend Dionisio Aguado, I would never have dared to impose on the guitar so great a task as that of making it produce the effects required by the nature of this new composition. It is difficult to imagine that the guitar could produce at the same time the different qualities of tone, of the treble, of the bass, and harmonical complement required in a piece of this character in the execution of which great clearness, taste and the power of singing on the instrument are required.”

Original Works

Aguado was a well cultured musician, as his many published compositions indicate. We have previously mentioned his “Method” which proved very popular and is even now used extensively by guitar teachers in Europe and South American countries. Then there are several volumes of excellent etudes; “Three Rondo Brilliantes”, in the form of sonatas, Op. 2; minuets, waltzes, and so on, included in Op. 1 to Op. 14; and many more.

Toward the end of 1838 Aguado felt a strong desire to return to his native land, and he left Paris for Madrid, where he lived till his death in 1849.

Ferdinand Sor and Dionisio Aguado may be considered the founders of the Spanish School of guitar playing which some years later reached its culmination with the advent of the illustrious Francisco Tarrega.