Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia Torres,[a] 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were either students of Segovia or students of Segovia's students.[1] Segovia's contribution to the modern-romantic repertoire included not only commissions but also his own transcriptions of classical or baroque works. He is remembered for his expressive performances: his wide palette of tone, and his distinctive musical personality, phrasing and style.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Segovia and the second or maternal family name is Torres.
Andrés Segovia
Early life[edit]
Segovia was born on 21 February 1893[2] in Linares, Jaén. He was sent at a very young age to live with his uncle Eduardo and aunt María. Eduardo arranged for Segovia's first music lessons with a violin teacher after he had recognised that Segovia had an aptitude for music. That proved to be an unhappy introduction to music for the young Segovia because of the teacher's strict methods, and Eduardo stopped the lessons. His uncle decided to move to Granada to allow Segovia to obtain a better education. After arriving in Granada, Segovia recommenced his musical studies. Segovia was aware of flamenco during his formative years as a musician but stated that he "did not have a taste" for the form and chose instead the works of Fernando Sor, Francisco Tárrega, and other classical composers.[3] Tárrega agreed to give the self-taught Segovia some lessons but died before they could meet, and Segovia states that his early musical education involved the "double function of professor and pupil in the same body".[4]
Technique[edit]
The right hand is responsible for the guitar's musical sound and so in examining the technique, the way the right hand is placed in relation to the strings is most important. For several years, it was thought among the guitar community that Segovia plucked the strings with a combination of fingertip and nail, as stated by Christopher Parkening, but Segovia plucked the strings only with the nails. When asked which technique he used, he replied that it was "the only one there is: nails. Because they bring timbre differences and colour variation and give sonorous volume to the guitar."[26] His right hand was placed so that the nails were perpendicular to the strings. That way, the nail alone would press the string. At the same time, it was thought that was the only way to avoid unpleasant noise coming from the low strings (E, A and D) of the guitar when they were plucked.
Segovia created a strong bass sound with his right thumb in spite of his technique, largely because of the flexibility that he had in his thumb, which helped to create a very strong and voluminous sound in the bass notes.
Another innovation that separated Segovia from the Tárrega school was the search for the tension in the strings by placing his right hand further to the right side. That way, he could obtain colour variation but also an especially strong, round and voluminous sound, which was very helpful for giving concerts in big halls (the technique was later used by Narciso Yepes). Before Segovia, guitarists from the Tárrega school played the guitar with the hand right over the soundhole and thus created a mellow sound but could not fill the whole space of a large concert hall.
After World War II, Segovia became among the first to endorse nylon strings, instead of catgut strings.[27] That advancement allowed for greater tonal stability and was the final ingredient in the standardization of the instrument.
Awards[edit]
Segovia was awarded many prizes and honours, including doctorates honoris causa, from ten universities.[55][56] On 24 June 1981, he was ennobled by King Juan Carlos I, who gave Segovia the hereditary title of Marqués de Salobreña[24][25] (English: Marquis of Salobreña) in the nobility of Spain in recognition of his contributions to music and the arts. He received the Danish Sonning Award in 1974, the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize in 1985, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986.
Personal life[edit]
Segovia's first wife was Adelaida Portillo (marriage in 1918).[57] Segovia's second wife (marriage in 1935) was the pianist Paquita Madriguera, who also made some piano roll recordings.[58][59] From 1944, he maintained a romantic relationship with Brazilian singer and guitarist Olga Praguer Coelho, which was to last for over a decade.[60] In 1962 Segovia married Emilia Magdalena Corral Sancho.[61] They had one son, Carlos Andrés Segovia,[62] the current Marquis of Salobreña.[63]