Guitar World

Agustin Barrios began studying the guitar around 1898, and began composing around 1905. One of the first compositions he wrote was a catchy tango entitled “Abri La Puerta Mi China”, roughly translated as Open the Door, My Country Girl, written possibly as a Christmas gift for someone. Throughout his life he was a renouned improviser, and many of his compositions reflected local dance and folklodic elements. A quotation of Barrios read; “One Cannot be a guitarist if one has not bathed in the fountain of culture”.

The improvasation skills often meant the young Agustin changing his works on the spot, so to speak, perhaps even giving different renditions of a piece in concerts. He became something of a nomadic wanderer, leaving his native Paraguay for a three week tour of Argentina, but was so successful he stayed away for 14 years! He was also a talented artist, below is a selection of his self portrait characatures:

Barrios was the first guitarist to make recordings, dating from around 1910. In those days there was no editing at all, indeed the record producer could sometimes be seen in the background, making gestures to hurry the performer along, if studio time was limited! Such was the “help” an artist could expect from the studio at that time! Because he rarely published his works, these recordings were the only legacy to his music for many years. Until in later years guitarists began to transcribe from these discs, amidst the pops, crackles, and hisses!

The music of Barrios is a major part of guitar reportoire today. Some of the gems which emerged from his talents around this time was the now famous opus 8 waltzes, no.’s 3 and 4. No. 3 I always feel was somewhat autobiographical, it sums up his life and work in minature. Sometimes called Vals Romantica, the main theme is one of prevailing lament, interspersed with moments of bright, sparkling bursts, only for the sad theme to return to haunt. Like someone who lives his life in a certain way, with enjoyment, but often feels sadness, because of unfufillment, and in this case, work unappreciated and eventual poverty.

Undoubtedly, his most substantial work was the two movement “La Catedral”, inspired after lsitening to an organist play Bach in Montivideo Cathederal. The final allegro solemne intending to relfect the bustle of street noise, after leaving the peace of the Cathederal, with the bell sound receeding into the city sounds. Later, after a period of artistic discouragments, a prelude was added to the work, a Saudade, a plaintive yearning, where the melody falls two octaves in a journey through a series of harmonic modulations.

In the mid 1920’s Barrios met the young, dynamic guitarist Andres Segovia. He was much encouraged by their meeting, writing to his Brother later with enthusiasm that Segovia has requested his composition “La Catedral” for programming into his concerts. It was one of the guitars talking points though that Segovia went on to shun Barrios works, later on to the point of denegrating them as inferior compositions, leading to Barrios sad comment that Segovia is “Deaf in the heart.” But Segoiva had his own reasons for not wanting to open the worlds eyes to the music of Barrios. He desired the guitars future to be on srtictly classical lines, and seemed to shun those who had their roots steeped in folklore.

Some consider it to be a failing of Segovia to misunderstand and undervalue Barrios talents for composing. Yet, towards the end of his life, Segovia wrote a letter, dated Jan. 1985, in which he said of Barrios, translated roughly; “Senor Agustin Barrios was a maestro of the poetic guitar. The beauty of these compositions is they instruct, as well as entertain, both the student and the aspiring professional. Many felicitations to my amigo Agustin, for their nobelman effort.” With these words, perhaps Segovia was at long last, paying respect to the place of Barrios in guitar composition legacy.

In the 1930’s Barrios made much of his Indian roots, calling himself thereafter Agustin Barrios Mangore, the latter name after a legendary Guarani chief. Indeed, Barrios was a proud descendent of the Guarani tribe. At this time he dressed in full Indian attire on the concert stage!

 Illustration from Six Silver Moonbeams, difinitive biography of Barrios, by Richard Stover.

Later in this decade Barrios dropped his Indian style dressing, and toured Europe, then on to Costa Rica in late ’30’s. It was here in 1938 that Barrios wrote one of his most endearing melodies, the Barcarolle Julia Florida (Julia Blossoming) written for Julia Martinez, niece of his friend Fransico Salazar.

After a decline in his health, in the 1940’s Barrios, now married to Gloria, moved to El Salvador, taking up a post as professor of guitar in the San Salvador university.

It was always his wish to gain recognition in USA, and in 1943/44 it seemed his wish might be about to come true, as USA radio played three of his works, including Sueno En La Mannequita (Sleep of the Little Doll) and Diana Guarani, the most popular piece in his lifetime, a reenaction of the war of the Triple Alliance, featuring sounds of galloping horses, cannons, and gun fire! Sadly however, failing health prohibited him visiting. In March 1944 Barrios met Segovia for the second time. The time they spent together, in Segovia’s Hotel room,  was cordial.

In May 1944 Barrios wrote what was to be his final work. He became moved when a beggar knocked on his door four times asking plaintively, Una Limonsna Por El Amor De Dios This knocking became represented on guitar by the bass line, as counterpoint to the plaintive melody in tremolo form, engaging feelings of supplication and eventual resolution, as the music, and Barrios life, wound to a close.

He died in August 1944, after which, apart from his close friends and students, his music fell silent, until in the late 1970’s the work of Richard Stover and Robert Tucker led to John Williams recording the music of Barrios. This was the first of many recordings, as Barrios music now enjoys the recognition and respect it never fully received during his lifetime.

Mark Antony.

All illustrations taken from Six Silver Moonbeams, by Richard Stover.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS