Pujol, Tárrega, Llobet: Ecos de la Tierra: The Guitar in the Age of Tárrega

Description

Of the three composers featured in this Da Vinci Classics CD, one, Francisco Tárrega, was the teacher of the other two, i.e. Emilio Pujol and Miguel Llobet. However, even if this had not been the case, the history of twentieth-century classical guitar could not be narrated without mentioning Tárrega, who has been one of the most influential figures in the history of this instrument, of its repertoire, and of its interpretation.
Curiously, but perhaps not absurdly, Tárrega did not study the guitar at the Conservatoire; his formal education at the main musical institution of Madrid took place in the fields of piano and composition. And even though he did receive some lessons by Julián Arcas, a famous guitarist, by that time Tárrega was already twenty years old, and his basic musical education had been completed. Being a self-taught guitarist probably allowed Tárrega to refreshingly explore the instrument, its technique, and its resources, in a novel and unusual fashion, and to open up new horizons not only for himself, but also for all those who would come after him. With him, the guitar transitioned from being (mainly) an accompanying instrument, and an instrument generally confined within the boundaries of folk music and feasts, to a fully-fledged concert instrument. Certainly, Tárrega was not really the first to conceive the guitar in this fashion – many great guitarists/composers of the nineteenth century had foreseen this potential and had actively built the guitar repertoire with this goal in mind. However, before Tárrega nobody had entirely achieved this purpose, whilst Tárrega could consider his efforts as totally successful.
In the domain of guitar technique and performance, Tárrega pointed out some elements which could be modified and which allowed for smoother, more elegant, nimbler performances, as well as for a closer, more intimate relationship between the instrument and its player.
Tárrega was also an innovator as concerns the guitar repertoire, not only contributing substantially to it with plenty of beautiful original works (such as those recorded here), but also by adding many transcriptions to it. Also in this field he was to set a model and an example for those coming after him. These transcriptions are all the more interesting inasmuch as they explore a number of innovative solutions, evoking the sound of other instruments – or even of the orchestra – with genuinely guitaristic means.
His solo career came to an abrupt end due to a paralysis to his right hand, commented touchingly by the composer himself with a sentence which could be excerpted from a poem by García Lorca: “Mi pobre guitarra llora la ausencia del que ayer la tañía” (My poor guitar weeps for the absence of he who played it).
Among the many guitar works composed by Tárrega, the present album focuses on a selection from his 35 Preludes. Within his oeuvre, this set constitutes a unique collection, and bridges the gap between technical etudes and musically expressive miniatures. Indeed, these short pieces, designed to explore different technical and musical aspects of the guitar, are far from being mere mechanical exercises; rather, they are highly expressive and musically refined, often resembling improvisations. Many of them were likely composed as warm-ups before performances or as tools to develop specific techniques in his students.
Some features recur throughout the cycle. One of them is their notable lyricism: the preludes often exhibit a deeply expressive, singing quality, influenced by the bel canto style of opera and by the piano works of Chopin and Schumann.
Another fundamental source of inspiration is, rather obviously, Spanish music; several typical elements of the Iberian folklore are incorporated within them (including the strummed chords called rasgueado – a typical mark of Tárrega’s style –, dance rhythms, and the use of some idiomatic traits of the flamenco style, such as the Phrygian mode).
This compositional trait is complemented by the innovative use of harmony by Tárrega. Although he was paralleling the explorations of many of his contemporaries, this was not normally done in guitar music, which had remained – until then – rather traditional in its style. Tárrega profusely employed chromaticism, modulations, and extended harmonies, with a sophisticated style which brought guitar music on a different level of artistry.
In conformity with the etude-like inspiration found in many of these preludes, there is some homogeneity and consistency in each individual piece, where special and specific technical challenges are tackled singularly. Besides some traditional unifying factors (such as the use of scales or arpeggios), Tárrega makes use also of contrasts in terms of compositional technique, juxtaposing “harmonic” and “polyphonic” preludes.
Another key feature of the cycle is the completeness of each piece. Of course, they should ideally played together, but each piece is a self-standing miniature, in which a full emotional palette is often found.
Needless to say, these pieces showcase the composer’s innovative style also from the viewpoint of technique. The right hand explores arpeggios, tremolos, and is challenged by rhythmical complexity. The left hand requires position shifts, slurs, and legato phrasing. Comparatively new techniques, such as performance sul tasto or sul ponticello, concur to establishing this cycle as a must-have of guitar literature.
Undeniably, furthermore, the unique features of these small miniatures have influenced both Llobet and Pujol whose works are also recorded here. And this is interesting, also because of the extensive pedagogic use which is currently made of Tárrega’s Preludes: it is fascinating to observe how the master’s influence could be represented both in the form of technique, and also of the overall approach to music.
Pujol began studying with Tárrega at 16; Llobet was his senior by eight years and, by the turn of the century, had already a burgeoning career to boast. With them both, Tárrega proved himself to be an excellent teacher, who not only was able to transmit his knowledge and expertise, but also was respectful of the unique gifts and skills of all of his students.
After his studies, Pujol soon became a highly requested virtuoso performer, and his tournees led him to play all over the world. One of the countries which remained particularly bound to his musicianship was Argentina, which he visited for the first time in 1918, just after the end of World War I. He was not always on the move, however; two other “loves” set some limits to his travels. One of them was his love for his wife, Matilde Cuervas, who was in turn an appreciated Flamenco guitarist, originally from Andalusia. The other was his love for the history of plucked-string instruments, which led him to explore, study, and discuss in scholarly publications the evolution of the early ancestors of the guitar. He also collected many pieces from the repertoire of past ages, selecting and publishing them for Max Eschig. The series he issued would become momentous for the finding of the guitar’s own, true voice.
The years between the two Wars saw Pujol once more as a touring musician, but from 1941 and for the remaining four decades of his life he remained mainly based in Spain, researching and studying intensely. This did not prevent him from successfully teaching in Lisbon, where he was a Professor at the Conservatory, and worldwide as an invited teacher of master courses.
After the death of his first wife, Matilde Cuervas (1956), Pujol remained a widower for some years, until his second marriage to Maria Adelaide Robert. He was also active as the organizer of many cultural initiatives for the promotion of guitar music.
The pieces recorded here stem from his interest in the styles and structures of other repertoires. His Tango is a joyful and rhythmed dance, with some echoes of Andalusian folk music; it bears a dedication to Matilde Cuervas, who, as has been mentioned earlier, was a virtuoso guitarist in her own right. Tonadilla draws inspiration from the traditional Spanish song form known as “tonadilla,” characterized by its light, theatrical style. Pujol’s composition captures the essence of this genre, blending lively rhythms with expressive melodies to evoke the spirited nature of Spanish folk music. References to folk music are also present in the Seguidilla, a quick-paced, lively-rhythmed musical form originally from Castile and Andalusia, transformed by Pujol into a brilliant piece.
Similar to Tárrega, also Llobet was not “born a guitarist”; his musical studies had involved an education in piano and violin playing. After the brilliant debuts mentioned earlier, Llobet left his Catalunya for Paris, where he could meet some of the most important musicians of the era – such as Albéniz, Debussy, and De Falla, who asked him to premiere his Homenaje a Debussy (1920). Traits of musical Impressionism have been noted also within Llobet’s own output, which is multifaceted and brilliant. His Variations on a theme by Sor pay homage to the tradition of guitar playing and repertoire, and are almost “meta-variations”. Sor, in fact, had written his own variations on the extremely popular ground called La Folia de España. Sor’s first variations are quoted by Llobet, before embarking in a set of his own creation, where the composer’s fecund fantasy shines forth. Llobet explores many traditional and innovative techniques, leaving a mark on every individual variation, which he also characterizes through harmonic wanderings and colouring.
His Catalan Folksongs are another homage to his native land; here he dismisses for a while the complex harmonies and sophisticated transitions of a modern composer, and adopts the simpler, more immediate style of folk music. This does not imply naivety, however; the important influence of these “simple” pieces on the later guitar repertoire is evident – for instance – in how Mompou would embrace these approaches in turn.
Together, these pieces demonstrate how varied could be the inspiration of these three composers: perhaps, the best witness of Tárrega’s unique gifts as a teacher is his ability to encourage the individual creativity of all of his students.
Chiara Bertoglio © 2025