Andrés Segovia

The classical guitar owes much of its present-day form to Andrés Segovia, who stood virtually alone among the era’s leading virtuosos in having trained himself. He solicited numerous new compositions that enlarged the instrument’s repertory, prepared countless transcriptions for guitar, and exerted such pedagogical influence that many contemporary players trace their artistic descent directly to him.

Born February 21, 1893, in Linares in Andalucía, Segovia was raised by an aunt and uncle who detected his ability and enrolled him for violin instruction. Friction with his teacher ended those lessons, yet the guitar soon captured his imagination; he mastered it through solitary practice and evolved an idiosyncratic right-hand approach that refined conventional technique in several respects. Although surrounded by flamenco in his youth, he rejected that style and instead immersed himself in the classical works of Fernando Sor, Francisco Tárrega, and related composers. His 1909 recital in Granada so impressed Tárrega that the elder guitarist consented to teach him, but Tárrega died before instruction could commence. Despite objections voiced by certain of Tárrega’s pupils, Segovia persisted with independent study and performed in Madrid in 1912, at the Paris Conservatory in 1915, and in Barcelona in 1916. By the close of the decade he judged himself prepared for a worldwide career and embarked on a South American tour, following the path of Miguel Llobet, who had likewise sought to secure a permanent place for the guitar on formal concert platforms.

During the 1920s Segovia broadened his circle of composer acquaintances, an effort that yielded the landmark guitar works now central to the repertory. He encountered Alexandre Tansman, met Agustín Barrios during a visit to Argentina, and made a strong impression on Manuel Ponce at a Mexico City concert; each meeting produced new pieces. His United States debut occurred in 1928 after violinist Fritz Kreisler, himself a guitarist, convinced concert promoters to sponsor the tour. During those engagements Heitor Villa-Lobos heard Segovia and subsequently dedicated his 12 Etudes for guitar to him. Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco likewise dedicated his Guitar Concerto, Op. 99, to Segovia—the first such concerto composed in the twentieth century. Segovia’s recording activity extended back to the 78 rpm period; a substantial set of performances captured in London in 1949 later appeared on the Testament label in 1994 under the title Andrés Segovia: The Complete 1949 London Recordings.

Segovia’s right-hand technique, which relied solely on the nails for plucking, introduced several innovations. Equally consequential was the breadth of repertory he cultivated through new commissions and transcriptions spanning Bach to the twentieth century, though he steered clear of modernist idioms. Most important of all, however, was his success in establishing the guitar as a serious concert instrument and becoming its first international star. In 1956 he performed on American television on The Ed Sullivan Show. As a teacher he counted among his pupils future luminaries Julian Bream, Liona Boyd, Christopher Parkening, and John Williams; while they acknowledged the force of his example, some also remarked on his authoritarian manner. After World War II he remained the preeminent guitarist worldwide and one of the foremost concert attractions irrespective of instrument.

By the 1960s and 1970s Segovia took satisfaction in seeing his students attain comparable renown, while guitar quartets and quintets likewise gained wide audiences. He continued to appear in recital and in recording studios almost until his death in Madrid on June 2, 1987. Far from diminishing the flow of releases, his passing coincided with a steady stream of albums and reissues. Numerous labels issued virtually every surviving fragment of his recorded work; among the most dependable collections was a four-volume edition released by Deutsche Grammophon in 2003. Fresh reissues have continued to emerge in the streaming era, including a 2021 Artemisia album that presents both live and studio performances by Segovia of the Castelnuovo-Tedesco concerto.