This collection of etudes has an interesting twist or two in its history, which has only recently been unearthed. For decades this collection was listed as having been composed in 1929. The published edition and other circumstances surrounding the composition give no obvious clue concerning the existence of an earlier version. In 1996, however, it was revealed by Eduardo Fernandez in the magazine Guitar Review that another manuscript of these etudes was in existence, carrying the date of 1928. It turned out that this version had been filed away unnoticed for many years in the Villa-Lobos museum in Rio de Janeiro. The question several scholars have asked in recent times is whether the later version amounts to a revision by the composer, or is a touching-up by another hand.

The changes are not substantial though; in No. 10 and No. 11 of the 1928 set, there are some sections not found in the later versions. It should be noted that either version is a good representation of the composer's musical ideas, but the original may be slightly more substantial. How did the changes come about? There is no definitive answer, but it seems that Andrés Segovia may have suggested some or perhaps all of them to Villa-Lobos, who, perhaps out of deference to the judgment of the great guitarist or due to doubts in his own abilities, incorporated them into the score.

Most of the etudes are in the one-and-a-half to three-minute range. The original Eleventh is the longest, at around four minutes, while the Second, at about a minute, is the shortest. The first two (E minor and A, respectively) are charming and light, while the Third (D major) and Fourth (G major) are more substantial, with more color and stronger interpretive demands. The Fifth (C major) is dreamy and gentle, with the Sixth (E minor) offering stormy contrast and the Seventh (E major) presenting lively, light music. The C sharp minor Eighth is slow and, with the Eleventh (E minor), offers the deepest music in the collection. The Ninth (F sharp minor) is delightful in its wistful lightness and the Tenth (B minor) is dark and mysterious. Without a doubt, the Twelfth (A minor) offers the most fireworks of any of the etudes here and is the perfect virtuoso showpiece to close the set.

© Robert Cummings, All Music Guide

1.Allegro non troppo

Until the 1990s, Villa-Lobos' Etudes (12) for guitar were known to exist in only one version, published in 1957. The original (1928) manuscript surfaced in 1996, however, to reveal quite a different alternate edition. It has been suggested that changes were incorporated into the latter version by the composer at the behest of his friend, guitar virtuoso Andrés Segovia. Whatever the case, the chief differences between the original and revised renditions are fairly extensive. In the case of this Etude No. 1 in E minor, for example, there are numerous repeats in the latter version, which effectively double its length. It must be said that both are viable artistic entities that most guitar music enthusiasts will find attractive. The piece, in either version, offers a rhythmic theme whose dark, somewhat nocturnal manner and anxious, repetitive elements combine for an attractive mixture of both lively and soothingly mysterious sounds. Marked Allegro non troppo, the music moves demurely as cascades of arpeggiated notes gracefully flow mostly in the guitar's lower and middle ranges. There are vague Latin flavors here, but the piece is largely cosmopolitan in character and its expressive language is fairly direct and appealing, even on first hearing. The original version lasts about a minute, the latter about two.

© All Music Guide

7.Très animé

As many Villa-Lobos admirers may now know, his Etudes (12) for guitar exist in two versions: the original from 1928, which only resurfaced in 1996, and the revised edition published in 1957. Some of the pieces in the collection exhibit fairly significant differences, though in the E minor Seventh here, there are only minor changes in tempo that, in the end, result in no consequential differences. The middle section of the 1928 version, for example, has a slightly slower tempo and there are one or two other minor alterations in the composer's markings. Marked Très animé, the work opens with a lively descending run, after which the music adopts a hesitant manner, energetically lurching forward, pausing for a moment, then moving forward again. After the mercurial expository section dominated by the playful opening run and other lively material, a lovely, shimmering theme is presented. Its mysterious, passionate character and colorful writing give it an irresistible charm. The main material returns to close out the piece, but not before an insistent rhythmic motif challenges the guitarist just before the final descending run. This work typically has a duration of two-and-a-half minutes.

© All Music Guide

8.Modéré

When the 1928 manuscript of the Etudes (12) for guitar finally came to light in 1996, a second and quite different version of the works emerged. Many of the etudes in the set featured significant differences, such as No. 1, whose length was cut in half owing to the numerous repeats added in the revised rendition, and No. 10, whose length is nearly doubled by the inclusion of 19 measures excised from the 1957 edition. This C sharp minor work, however, features only a minor rhythmic difference in the opening measures and includes a few additional markings in the introductory episode. It is otherwise the same as the revised version and listeners will find both the 1928 and 1957 renditions rewarding efforts. Marked Modéré, the work darkly and tentatively opens, as if searching for its thematic goods and expressive manner. After wallowing in the lower ranges, a lyrical melody finally appears as a demure, sweet creation whose airy character occasionally yields to rhythmic intrusions. After several exchanges between these two elements, the piece quietly and serenely ends. This work typically has a duration of three minutes.

© All Music Guide

11.Lent

As most Villa-Lobos mavens are aware, there are two versions of this and the 11 other etudes for guitar in his A. 235 set. The 1928 manuscript resurfaced in 1996 and its 12 works exhibited some noticeable—and in some cases, substantial—differences from those in the 1957 edition. The changes to the original versions are thought to have been made at the urging of Villa-Lobos' friend, the legendary guitarist Andrés Segovia. This Etude No. 11 in E minor, at around four minutes, is the longest of the 12 works in either version and somewhat longer in the original since it contains 13 measures excised from the later rendition. Marked Lent—Animé, the work begins with a slow, dark introduction. The main theme is first presented here, but takes wing only after a nervous rhythm springs forth from the slow pacing to propel it along. This melody is a subtle creation whose nervous, wandering manner imparts a sense of uncertainty. It soon bridges onto a second theme, an exotic melody played over a grim, twanging rhythm. The main theme returns and the piece ends slowly and mysteriously, thematic fragments struggling to carry on but fading into a ghostly haze.

© All Music Guide