Album

Anyone who loves the classical guitar must also love Andrés Segovia—even if he/she doesn't know it yet. He is credited with garnering—almost single-handedly—big-league status for the plucky six-string, and virtually every modern player stands on the foundation of his legacy. Anyone wanting to hear why this is true would do well to start with Deutsche Grammophon's lovingly prepared The Art of Segovia, which pays tribute to both his playing and his tireless repertory building. His performances of guitar staples by Sor, Torroba, and Rodrigo are coupled here with his nimble transcriptions of works for keyboard, cello, violin—even string quartet—by Bach, Handel, César Franck, Mendelssohn, and others; these two elements combine to give as complete a picture as possible (considering the limitations of space on a modest two-disc set) of his technique and ingenuity, and of course his grasp of the guitar's possibilities. Audiophiles won't find ideal sound here; many of the tracks were recorded monaurally, and the performances seem a little unkempt next to airbrushed digital equivalents. But this is what makes it so interesting; you can practically see his fingers intuitively working their way across the instrument, and the occasional squeak or buzz only makes the experience more vivid. The many highlights include Fernando Sor's Theme and Variations on a Theme from The Magic Flute and Segovia's transcription of the Prélude to Bach's Suite No. 1 for Cello, both of which sound intricate and easy. One of the few disappointments is the Sarabande from Handel's Suite No. 4 for Harpsichord; it, more than any other transcription here, sounds homesick for its native instrument. But this is nitpicking. These performances convey an infectious love and understanding of the guitar that is a joy to experience.

© Allen Schrott, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Francisco Tárrega Composer Recuerdos de la Alhambra, for guitar Work Andrés Segovia Guitar
1	Recuerdos de la Alhambra, for guitar	5:16			$0.99
Francisco Tárrega Composer Capricho árabe, for guitar Work Recorded 1955 Andrés Segovia Guitar
2	Capricho árabe, for guitar	5:26			$0.99
Francisco Tárrega Composer Marieta, mazurka for guitar Work Recorded 1955 Andrés Segovia Guitar
3	Marieta, mazurka for guitar	2:29			$0.99
Federico Moreno Torroba Composer Romanza de los piños, for guitar Work Recorded 1960 Andrés Segovia Guitar
4	Romanza de los piños, for guitar	1:46			$0.49
Federico Moreno Torroba Composer Madroños, for guitar Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
5	Madroños, for guitar	2:56			$0.99
Federico Moreno Torroba Composer Serenata burlesca Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
6	Serenata burlesca	2:55			$0.99
Fernando Sor Composer Variations on a Theme of Mozart, Op.9 Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
7	Variations on a Theme of Mozart, Op.9	7:10			$1.49
Manuel de Falla Composer Homenaje pour 'Le tombeau de Claude Debussy,' for guitar, G.56 Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
8	Homenaje pour 'Le tombeau de Claude Debussy,' for guitar, G.56	2:39			$0.99
Manuel Ponce Composer Theme, Variations, and Finale Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
9	Theme, Variations, and Finale	7:57			$1.49
Manuel Ponce Composer 3 Canciones Populares Mexicanas Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
10	3.La valentina	1:32			$0.49
Joaquín Turina Composer Sevillana, fantasia for guitar, Op.29 Work Recorded 1967 Andrés Segovia Guitar
11	Sevillana, fantasia for guitar, Op.29	5:59			$0.99
Joaquín Rodrigo Composer Invocación y danza ('Homenaje a Manuel de Falla') Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
12	Invocación y danza ('Homenaje a Manuel de Falla')	5:04			$0.99
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Composer Capriccio diabolico ('Omaggio a Paganini'), Op.85 Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
13	Capriccio diabolico ('Omaggio a Paganini'), Op.85	9:14			$1.49
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Composer Tonadilla on the Name of Andrés Segovia, Op.170, No.5 Work Recorded 1955 Andrés Segovia Guitar
14	Tonadilla on the Name of Andrés Segovia, Op.170, No.5	5:10			$0.99
Heitor Villa-Lobos Composer 5 Prelúdios, A.419 Work Recorded 1952 9:41 Andrés Segovia Guitar
15	1.Prelude No.1 in E-: Andantino expressivo (Melodia lírica: Homenagem ao sertanejo brasileiro)	4:27			$0.99
16	3.Prelude No.3 in A-: Andante (Homenagem a Bach)	5:14			$0.99
Carlos Pedrell Composer Guitarreo, for guitar Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
17	Guitarreo, for guitar	1:27			$0.49
Albert Roussel Composer Ségovia, for guitar, Op.29 Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
18	Ségovia, for guitar, Op.29	3:00			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
John Dowland Composer 4.If my complaints could passions move (Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard) Work Andrés Segovia Guitar
1	4.If my complaints could passions move (Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard)	2:07			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Frog Galliard, P.23 Work Recorded 1969 Andrés Segovia Guitar
2	Frog Galliard, P.23	0:50			$0.49
George Frideric Handel Composer Harpsichord Suite in D-, HWV437...Harpsichord Suite in D-, HWV437 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
3	3.Sarabande	3:58			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cello Suite No.1 in G, BWV1007...Cello Suite No.1 in G, BWV1007 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
4	1.Prelude	2:19			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Partita No.1 for Solo Violin in B-, BWV1002 Work Andrés Segovia Guitar
5	7.Tempo di bourrée	3:36			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cello Suite No.3 in C, BWV1009...Cello Suite No.3 in C, BWV1009 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
6	3.Courante	2:59			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Partita No.3 for Solo Violin in E, BWV1006 Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
7	3.Gavotte en rondeau	3:01			$0.99
Girolamo Frescobaldi Composer Aria e corrente Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
8	Aria e corrente (arr. guitar)	6:40			$0.99
Domenico Scarlatti Composer Sonata in C-, K.11, L.352 Work Recorded 1956 Andrés Segovia Guitar
9	Sonata in C-, K.11, L.352 (arr. guitar)	3:17			$0.99
Jean-Philippe Rameau Composer Nouvelles suites de pièces de clavecin...Suite in G/G- Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
10	3a.Menuet No.1 in G	3:39			$0.99
Manuel Ponce Composer Andantino variato (after Paganini, Grand Sonate) Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
11	Andantino variato (after Paganini, Grand Sonate)	7:40			$1.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 24 Preludes, Op.28 Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
12	7.Andantino in A	1:00			$0.49
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer String Quartet No.1 in Eb, Op.12...2.Canzonetta: Allegretto Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
13	2.Canzonetta: Allegretto (arr. guitar)	4:34			$0.99
César Franck Composer L'Organiste Vol.1, M.41 Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
14	Preludio: Quasi lento	1:08			$0.49
César Franck Composer L'Organiste Vol.1, M.41...7 Pieces in C and C- Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
15	1.Poco allegretto in C	3:04			$0.99
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky Composer Pictures at an Exhibition (Kartinki s vïstavski)...Pictures at an Exhibition (Kartinki s vïstavski; arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1958 Andrés Segovia Guitar
16	4.The Old Castle	4:52			$0.99
Edvard Grieg Composer 7 Lyric Pieces (iv), Op.47...7 Lyric Pieces (iv), Op.47 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1954 Andrés Segovia Guitar
17	3.Melody	3:31			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117...Préludes, Book 1, L.117 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1962 Andrés Segovia Guitar
18	8.La fille aux cheveux de lin	2:55			$0.99
Alexander Scriabin Composer 5 Preludes, Op.16 Work Recorded 1956 Andrés Segovia Guitar
19	4.Lento in Eb-	1:14			$0.49
Isaac Albéniz Composer Suite española No.1, Op.47, B.7...Suite española No.1, for piano, Op.47, B.7 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
20	5.Asturias (Leyenda)	6:26			$0.99
Isaac Albéniz Composer 12 Piezas caracteristicas, Op.92...12 Piezas caracteristicas, Op.92 (arr. guitar) Work Recorded 1952 Andrés Segovia Guitar
21	7.Zambra	4:45			$0.99
Andrés Segovia Composer Etude for Guitar ('Estudio Sin Luz') Work Recorded 1958 Andrés Segovia Guitar
22	Etude for Guitar ('Estudio Sin Luz')	2:49			$0.99
Joaquín Rodrigo Composer Fantasía para un gentilhombre, for guitar and orchestra Work Recorded 1958 Symphony of the Air Orchestra, Andrés Segovia Guitar, Enrique Jorda Conductor
23	3.Danza de las hachas	2:15			$0.99