In the Fantasía para un gentilhombre of 1954, written for and dedicated to Andrés Segovia, Joaquín Rodrigo turned for inspiration to a fellow Spaniard and one of the first great guitar virtuosi, Gaspar Sanz. Not much is known about Sanz. He was born somewhere around the middle of the seventeenth century and lived into the early eighteenth, and he wrote one of the earliest surviving guitar methods (published in 1674). He also composed a fair amount of guitar music that reflects the styles of song and dance popular in Spain at that time. Rodrigo borrowed several of Sanz's short pieces in crafting his Fantasía for guitar and orchestra. The result is a perennially charming work that evokes an antique world in a natural way, free of musty airs.

The opening movement is titled "Villano y Ricercare"; the Villano theme is heard in the violins at the very beginning of the work, and the Ricercare was completed by Rodrigo based on Sanz's sketches. The second movement, "Españoleta y Fanfare de la Caballería de Nápoles," is also in two parts. After a short woodwind introduction, the Españoleta theme, first heard in the strings, is subjected to several variations. The Fanfare makes use of string techniques like harmonics and col legno (using the wooden side of the bow); the title of the Fanfare reminds one that Spain governed Naples in Sanz's time. The guitar moves between solo and accompanist roles in the third movement "Danza de las Hachas," or "Hatchet Dance," and the Fantasía ends with a rousing "Canario," a folk dance in 6/8 time.

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