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ISBN: 978-0-9876411-4-4
The history of the guitar in Spain and Latin America is one of considerable complexity and was largely determined by the colonising aspirations of Spain and Portugal over several hundred years - no other musical instrument was spread so far and wide into so many different cultures. The meeting of Europe with the Americas gave the guitar and its music great diversity as the various ethnic components (song and dance forms in particular) came together with its European classical traditions.
The purpose of this book has been to produce a collection of guitar solos that can in some modest way reflect the outcome of this cultural phenomenon, and introduce the student to some of these stimulating musical styles. Being mindful that the experience should also provide opportunities to apply specific aspects of musical development, the repertoire has been carefully selected, edited and arranged, to assist progress in several areas:
(a) Instrumental technique for both hands;
(b) Building confidence with reading notation in higher positions of the fret-board;
(c) Learning ‘new’ rhythmic and melodic elements that are ‘the very life’ of the genre; and
(d) Discovering aspects of self-expression within the medium.
Of the composers represented here, most are perhaps not particularly ‘well known’ but maintain historical importance as they were nevertheless performers and teachers who kept the instrumental tradition alive in their countries. Although much of their output may be long-neglected, it remains extant in the international archives and ‘well known’ or not, the quality of these delightful pieces from the romantic period of the guitar is quite evident. They deserve to be brought out of virtual obscurity for present-day students of the guitar to enjoy, and play an important role in music education.
Peter Altmeier-Mort (2021)
