Tarrega: Music
Click the title for playback and sheet music:
This is a Mazurka, dedicated to the girl Adelita by the Spanish composer Francisco Tarrega. The Mazurka was a Polish dance form that had grown more widely known via the piano music of Frederick Chopin. A few Spanish composers -including Tarrega- adopted this form, that they considered an homage to their own national Spanish style that had been suppressed in comparison to the cultural mainstream.
Francisco Tarrega wrote a number of Mazurkas. This one sounds the most "Chopinian" to me. Or should I-say Chopinesque? The Mazurka was a Polish dance form that had grown more widely known via the piano music of Frederick Chopin. A few Spanish composers -including Tarrega- adopted this form that they considered an homage to their own national Spanish style that had been suppressed in comparison to the cultural mainstream.
This is a Mazurka -dedicated to the girl Marieta- written by the Spanish guitarist and composer Francisco Tarrega. The Mazurka was a Polish dance form that had grown more widely known via the piano music of Frederick Chopin. A few Spanish composers -including Tarrega- adopted this form, as a homage to their own native Spanish style, which they considered oppressed by the cultural mainstream.
It’s a piece with some technical challenge, specifically with the ornaments. Once you have mastered it, however, you’re in the possession of a little musical gem!
Francisco Tarrega wrote a number of Preludes for instructional purposes, in which he successfully combined the didactic and the musical. Lagrima (Teardrop) is one of the best-known.
This is a Capricho -this word means whim-, a free musical form by the Spanish composer Francisco Tarrega.
This Capricho clearly shows the Arabic sound and specific intervals in a D minor-D major-D minor section architecture in which the improvisation-like scale passages form the bridges. The sound reminds me of the Spanish folk music.
Francisco Tarrega had the charming practice to dedicate many of his pieces to friends, relatives, acquaintances and pupils. Just like this Gavota -a playful piece- that is dedicated to a certain Maria.
The piece is not quite easy, considering the speed and the puzzles in the higher positions. The result, however, is definitely worth the effort!
Tarrega strictly prescribed the fingering of his pieces, he had a clear idea about the timbre. Unfortunately, at times the fingering is hard to read in the urtexts. Against my policy (‘no fingering included’) this time I indicated the barre’s and the strings for the higher positions. It makes the piece a bit less of a puzzle, I hope.
Francisco Tarrega composed a large number of Preludes, short pieces in free form, for exercise of the higher positions in various keys.
Generally speaking the Preludes are short and complex, they often dwell in the higher positions (quite a puzzle at times) and have a characteristic sound. According to my guitar teacher they are the best way to bring some challenge if you have little time to play. They are beneficial, even if you practice a few measures at the time.
Endecha is a lament with a few surprising changes. A little gem that is over before you know it. Oremus (let us pray) according to the annals is Tarrega’s last piece before his death. Its challenge is to bring forward the melody above the arpeggio pattern.