GASPAR SANZ

Baroque Guitarist, Composer,

Teacher

Born: April 4, 1640Town: Calada, Spain (Aragon)

Now playing: Caballeria De

Napoles By Gaspar

Sanz

Presentation by Kate Diaz

WHAT IS BAROQUE GUITAR?

The sound of the Baroque Guitar is much like modern day classical guitar.

The actual instrument itself is smaller, and has a lighter construction than the modern day guitar.

The frets are made of gut, and are tied to the neck by the player’s liking.

Its strings are sort of like a modern day twelve string guitar, consisting of 5 strings that double layered, to make up 10 strings.

Now playing: Marizpalos By Gaspar Sanz

BAROQUE GUITARS

Now playing: Jacaras by Gaspar Sanz

Fun Fact: The world’s oldest guitar is Baroque (from 1490) and was made by… Belchior Diaz. Viva La Familia Diaz!

GASPAR SANZ’S EDUCATION

Gaspar Sanz went to the University of Salamanca to study theology, philosophy, and music.

By the end of college, he earned a Bachelor of Theology degree, and went on to become a professor of Music atthe University of Salamanca.

To further study music, Gaspar traveled to Italy where he studied theorgan and music theory under G.C. Carissimi, and studied guitar under Lelio Colista.

While studying, Gaspar was also the organist for the Spanish Viceroy in Naples.

Now playing: Folias by Gaspar Sanz

UNIVERSITYOF SALAMANCA NAPLES, ITALY

Now playing:Espanola by Gaspar Sanz

INFLUENCES

When Gaspar Sanz traveled to learn, he picked up many influences.

Naples was a city filled with dancing, resulting in influences of dance musiclater to be found in Sanz’s music.

Sanz also traveled to Rome, where he met the guitarists Foscarini, Granata,and Corbetta, whom he highly respected. From these phenomenal guitarists,he adapted the re-entrant tuning, which is instead of having the fourth String be a D string tuned to D, he would have the fourth string be an E String tuned to D.

Gaspar’s years in Italy also influenced his style of music, and remnants of Italian music are in his later compositions.

Now playing: Pasacalle by Gaspar Sanz

PEDAGOGICAL GUITAR BOOKS

When Gaspar returned back to Spain he was given the job to teach guitar toDon Juan, the son of King Phillip IV, and also to teach guitar to Maria Calderon, a famous actress in that time.

Gaspar soon started writing books for Don Juan to help him learn. His firstbook was called Instruccion de Musica Sobre La Guitarra Espanola,which was published in 1674.

This book was followed by Libro Segundo de Cifras Sobre La Guitarra Espanola in 1675, and Libro Tercero de Musica de Cifras Sobre La Guitarra Espanola, which does not have a publication date.

All three of these books were published together later on in 1697, andare still in use today.

Now playing: Danza de las Hachas by Gaspar Ganz

Instruccion De Musica Sobre La

Guitarra Espanola

by Gaspar Sanz is among the best

instruction books that thoroughly covers all the

aspects of Baroque Guitar styles.

Now playing: Pavana al Aire EspanolBy Gaspar Sanz

COMPOSITIONS

Most of Sanz’s music compositions are punteado dance pieces, which arelight plucked dance numbers.

They are reminiscent of sixteenth century Spanish court music.

Some of his most famous pieces are: • Canarios, which portrays the syncopated dance of the Canary Islands, • Villano, or village dance, and • Jacaras, a piece inspired by the ox-cart drivers.

Now playing: Gallarda y Villano By Gaspar Sanz

CANARIOS

BY GASPAR SANZ

Now playing:Canarios By Gaspar Sanz

Being the outstanding composer,guitarist, and teacher that

Gaspar Sanz was, he inspired the great 2oth century Spanish composer

Joaquin Rodrigo to write Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre for the

Spanish guitar virtuoso Andres Segovia.

Now playing: Fantasia Para Un GentilhombreBy Andres Sagovia