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Co-composition of new guitar repertoire​

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In the early decades of the 20th century, a gradual separation emerged within the guitar world between the roles of performer and composer. These two roles, once almost inextricably linked, became distinctly differentiated. Consequently, much of the guitar repertoire from the past century consists of compositions created by musicians who did not play the instrument. There are multiple reasons for this separation, but in the guitar domain, a decisive influence was exerted by Andrés Segovia. The celebrated Andalusian guitarist commissioned guitar works from numerous contemporary composers, yet preferred to avoid those written by other guitarists. It is clear that Segovia aimed to elevate the guitar to the same level as instruments like the piano or violin, seeing a detachment from the popular domain traditionally associated with the guitar as necessary to achieve this.

Segovia had a profound and positive impact on the guitar repertoire, enriching it with works of substantial depth. However, many of these works, despite being composed by renowned authors, have a limitation: a lack of idiomatic quality. The writing often does not suit the guitar well, and even the most virtuosic interpreters risk making these pieces sound somewhat lacking, as they fail to fully exploit the instrument’s potential. As admitted by the composers themselves, the guitar is a very unique instrument, requiring an intimate understanding to write music that can be performed with ease. It’s no surprise that the most appreciated and frequently performed composers in today’s guitar world are generally those who succeeded in crafting highly idiomatic music.

Today, there is a renewed convergence between the roles of performer and composer, and the guitar enjoys a vibrant, innovative landscape. Recent collaborations between composers and guitarists have led to the creation of a valuable new repertoire, such as those between Stephen Goss and David Russell, Arvo Pärt and Manuel Barrueco, among many others. My project is situated within this context of renewed synergy between performers and composers, with the aim of contributing to the expansion of the contemporary classical guitar repertoire. 

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The project’s innovative aspect lies in the methodology of co-composition, which goes beyond a general collaboration to involve close work with the composers, ‘guitar in hand.’ This approach, which engages the performer directly in the compositional process, will enable the creation of highly idiomatic music, ensuring greater success in terms of performances.

Composing ‘guitar in hand’ was once a common practice in the classical music world until the separation of roles mentioned above. There are numerous examples of this within the guitar world alone, including Miguel Llobet, Francisco Tarrega, Agustin Barrios, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Leo Brouwer. Composing with the guitar in hand allows for the full utilization of the instrument’s idiomatic features, making the music not only more suitable but also more inspired by the guitar’s very nature.

In summary, the project aims to create new guitar repertoire through an innovative and in-depth co-compositional approach with leading figures from today’s guitar and compositional scenes.