ETUDE
December 1937
volume LV
number 12
page 831

The Classic Guitar

By George C. Krick

OF ALL THE FRETTED instruments, the guitar may well boast of the most ancient and romantic history. To give a complete historic outline of this beautiful instrument is somewhat beyond the scope of this article, but those of our readers sufficiently interested, will find a comprehensive description in the issues of THE ETUDE for April, May and June, 1930.

It has been recorded that the ancestors of the guitar were in use long before the Christian Era, and later amongst the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. During the eighth and ninth centuries, when the Arabs invaded Spain, they brought along the guitar; and eventually it became the most popular instrument of that country. This guitar was rather primitive, having only three strings, but before long the Spaniards added a fourth. The sixteenth century finds the five string guitar making its way into Italy, Germany and France. Not until the early part of the eighteenth century appeared the guitar with six strings, and this has been recognized as the standard instrument to the present day. The lower three strings are made of silk wound with silver wire, the higher three ones of gut; and they are tuned to E, A, D, G, B, and E. This stringing and tuning have been approved and adopted by all the great guitarists of the past and the present.

The “Golden Era” of the guitar began with the eminent Italian guitarist and composer, Ferdinand Carulli (1770-1841), whose “Guitar Method” became popular throughout Europe. He was followed by Matteo Carcassi, author of a “Method,” etudes and technical works, known to every guitar student. Next came Mauro Giuliani, Luigi Legnani, and Zani di Ferranti, all Italians. In Spain we find Dionisio Aguado and Ferdinand Sor, the latter acknowledged as the greatest composer, and called the Beethoven of the guitar. Somewhat later appeared Napoleon Coste in France and J. K. Mertz in Austria. These men not only were great artists, giving recitals in all the music centers of Europe, but composers as well, leaving behind them hundreds of beautiful compositions for their instrument. To students of to-day the classic works of these masters are indispensable.

Amongst the American guitarists the name of William Foden stands out preeminently; and his recitals in the past have proven him to be the greatest guitarist this country has produced. As a composer and arranger he has greatly enriched the guitar literature, and his “Grand Method” shows the work of a master.

A name that will be cherished forever by guitarists throughout the world, is that of Francisco Tarrega (1854-1909), guitarist and composer of Spain and founder of the modern Spanish School. Using the methods of Aguado and Sor as a foundation, Tarrega developed the technic of the guitar to a point where the critics are compelled to acknowledge it as a full fledged concert instrument. His original compositions and transcriptions of the works of the great masters in music are veritable gems.

Amongst his pupils Miguel Llobet, Emile Pujol and Sainz de la Maza are the most prominent, and their names are household words with the concert public in Europe.

We now come to a man who in the past ten years perhaps has done most to bring the guitar to its present eminence on the American concert stage – Andres Segovia, the Spanish guitar virtuoso. Mr. Segovia is practically self-taught, but he admits being strongly influenced by Tarrega.

A Segovia recital is a revelation and a never to be forgotten event. His playing has been called a musical miracle. Segovia’s technic is flawless, yes, almost uncanny. The tone he extracts from his instrument is a constant delight to the ear of the listener. It is no wonder that on his concert tours he is greeted everywhere by sold out houses. The programs of Mr. Segovia contain the names of Sor, Giuliani, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and the modern Spanish composers.

It is inevitable that on the strength of these triumphant successes of Andres Segovia, a great many musical people are becoming guitar conscious. Students are convinced that the guitar is a worth while instrument and are beginning to study it seriously. One drawback in this country has been the lack of capable teachers, but this promises to be remedied in the near future. In the past few years the writer has received numerous letters from guitar enthusiasts inquiring as to the proper methods and studies to use to perfect their technic.

In the South American city, Buenos Aires, there are many music schools devoted exclusively to the study of the classic guitar. The course in most of these covers a period of five to six years, and this must be completed in order to obtain a diploma.

To become a real guitarist, a student should approach his instrument similarly to the piano or violin. In the beginning one should learn the correct position of the right and left hands, practice scales in one octave with alternating first and second fingers, and the same scales again with second and third fingers, as the third finger of the right hand should not be neglected. A thorough knowledge of the entire fingerboard is next in order, followed by the practice of scales and chords in all positions. Right from the beginning a round beautiful tone should be the principal aim of every student, as without it the most dazzling technic will remain unconvincing.

As the basis of all sound guitar playing, we now suggest these etudes from the classic guitar literature: Carcassi’s “Caprices and Etudes,” Giuliani’s exercises, all Etudes of Sor, advanced Etudes of Giuliani, Legnani’s “Caprices,” “Concert Etudes” of Coste. Along with these an exhaustive study should be made of the embellishments, including the glissando, vibrato, legato, staccato, pizzicato, tremolo, and so on.

Not until all these things are mastered can the student safely begin to build up a concert repertoire from the classic and modern guitar literature.