Notes from “A Spanish Recital on the Ukulele”

All sources are Wikipedia.

Gaspar Sanz (ca 1650 – 1710), or Francisco Bartolomé Sanz Celma, was a Spanish composer, guitarist, organist and priest born to a wealthy family in Spain. He studied music, theology and philosophy at the University of Salamanca, where he was later appointed Professor of Music. He wrote three volumes of pedagogical works for the baroque guitar that form an important part of today’s classical guitar repertory and have informed modern scholars in the techniques of baroque guitar playing.

The music of Gaspar Sanz is documented in two books, namely, Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra Española, libro 1 (1674) and libro 2 (1675).  The ninety works in this masterpiece are his only known contribution to the repertory of the guitar and include compositions in both punteado (“plucked”) style and rasqueado (“strummed”) style.

Preludio & Fuga means Prelude & Fugue.

Rujero is based on an arrangement in an old grade 4 book of the Royal Conservatory of Music and a piece learned by many guitar students, including me.  It is currently in the grade 5 book.

Folia is one of the oldest remembered European musical compositions on record.  A theme generally appears at the start and end of a given “folia” composition, serving as “bookends” for a set of variations within which both the melodic line and even the meter may vary.

Españoleta is an ancient Spanish dance.

La Cavalleria de Napoles means The Cavalry of Naples (or The Chivalry of Naples).

Pavana is a slow processional dance common in Europe during the 16th century (Renaissance).  Although the dance is often associated with Spain, it has an Italian origin.

Canarios is a lively piece in 6/8 time with a play of rhythms where sometimes the piece appears to be in 3/4 and sometimes it sounds like it’s in 2/4 time.  This arrangement is based on a transcription by Alexander Bellow.

Españoleta, La Cavalleria de Napoles, and Canarios are some of the pieces that Joaquín Rodrigo made famous in 1954 at the request of guitarist Andrés Segovia by incorporating them into the guitar concerto Fantasía para un gentilhombre.