Andrés Segovia

Composers

Biography

Born: February 21, 1893; Linares, Granada, Spain   Died: June 2, 1987; Madrid, Spain  
Andrés Segovia, Marquis of Salobreia, was born near Jaen, Granada, Spain. He became a guitarist against the double opposition of his parents. First, they opposed his learning the guitar and got him cello and piano teachers instead. When he persisted in teaching himself guitar, they opposed his becoming a musician. He sought a guitar teacher at the Granada Institute of Music when he studied there, but found none, so continued learning the Read more instrument on his own. He made his debut at the Centro Artística in Granada at the age of 15. He played so skillfully that he was urged to become a professional soloist. He played in Madrid in 1912, at the Paris Conservatory in 1915, and in Barcelona in 1916, and made a wildly successful tour of South America in 1919. He made his formal debut in Paris on April 7, 1924, in a program which included a new work written for him by Albert Roussel, named Segovia. It was the first of many works which were written for him by distinguished composers, enriching the instrument's repertory as Segovia had elevated its artistic potential. His U.S. debut was at Town Hall, New York, on January 8, 1928.

Being self-taught, his technique was unique. It was, in fact, superior to that which was being taught at the time, and extended the flexibility and expressive possibilities of the instrument. The main difference was in the method of using the right hand for strumming and picking the strings: Segovia's method paid much attention to the means of attack: whether hard parts of the fingers, fleshy parts, or the nails were used; other subtleties that affected the dynamics of the instrument; and an economy of motion that allowed longer and more sustained playing. There were classical guitarists before him, and distinguished ones even when he appeared, but it was not an instrument that was regarded as a serious vehicle for classical music. Segovia personally changed that, and not by accident. No doubt affected by his parents' attitude toward his chosen career, he had a driving desire to make it so. He wrote numerous transcriptions of older music for lute and for the Spanish vihuela. He transcribed music of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, Handel, and others. He commissioned works by Castelnuovo-Tedesco (notably the great suite Platero and I), Falla, Turina, Tansman, Villa-Lobos, Torroba, Ponce, and Rodrigo, whose Fantasia para un gentilhombre was written for him. His reinstatement of the guitar as a solo instrument was sealed by his becoming one of the great teachers of music history. He established guitar schools or courses at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Santiago de Compostela, and the University of California in Berkeley. His students included Alirio Diaz, Oscar Ghilia, and John Williams.

Segovia become one of the great names in classical music, whose mere name was enough to sell out houses worldwide. He received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Grand Cross of Isabela and Alfonso, the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society of London, and many honorary degrees. The house where he was born had a commemorative plaque attached to it in 1969 proclaiming him the "leading son of the city." King Juan Carlos of Spain ennobled him as the Marquis of Salobreia in 1981, and in the same year a Segovia International Guitar Competition was established in his honor. He continued to give recitals and concerts until an advanced age, and had the rare opportunity, in 1984, of playing at a gala concert honoring the 75th anniversary of professional debut. Read less

Featured Andrés Segovia CDs & DVDs:

Andrés Segovia Collection
Andrés Segovia Collection
Release Date: 06/11/2002   Label: Deutsche Grammophon  
Catalog: 471430   Number of Discs: 4
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Browse 1-25 of 66 Available Recordings
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  • 1.
    Guitar Magician / Andres Segovia
    Guitar Magician / Andres Segovia
    Label: Regis   Catalog: 1158 Release Date: 01/29/2013   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco,  Heitor Villa-Lobos,  Federico Moreno-Torroba,  Isaac Albeniz  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
    Conductor:  Alec Sherman
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New London Orchestra
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  • 2.
    Andres Segovia In Portrait
    Andres Segovia In Portrait
    Label: Christopher Nupen Films   Catalog: A15CND Release Date: 10/30/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Isaac Albeniz,  Enrique Granados,  Domenico Scarlatti,  Jean-Philippe Rameau  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 3.
    Guitar Sensation - Tribute To Andres Segovia / Friedemann Wuttke
    Guitar Sensation - Tribute To Andres Segovia / Friedemann Wuttke
    Label: Profil   Catalog: 12036 Release Date: 09/25/2012   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Isaac Albeniz,  Fernando Sor,  Joaquin Malats,  Enrique Granados  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia,  Friedemann Wuttke
    Conductor:  Igor Zhukov,  Nicolás Pasquet
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New Moscow Chamber Orchestra,  Hungarian Chamber Philharmonic Pecs
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  • 4.
    Maestro Guitar
    Maestro Guitar
    Label: Musical Concepts   Catalog: 1195 Release Date: 06/05/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Luis de Milan,  Robert de Visée,  Anonymous,  Franz Joseph Haydn  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 5.
    The Art Of Andres Segovia, Vol. 6
    The Art Of Andres Segovia, Vol. 6
    Label: Idi   Catalog: 6603 Release Date: 11/30/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Luis de Milan,  Gaspar Sanz,  Anonymous,  George Frideric Handel  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 6.
    The Art Of Andres Segovia, Vol. 5
    The Art Of Andres Segovia, Vol. 5
    Label: Idi   Catalog: 6590 Release Date: 04/27/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Gaspar Sanz,  Domenico Scarlatti,  Franz Joseph Haydn,  Federico Moreno-Torroba  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 7.
    The Ultimate Romantic Guitar
    The Ultimate Romantic Guitar
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 28551 Release Date: 03/30/2010   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Erik Satie,  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Antonio Vivaldi,  Joaquin Rodrigo  ... 
    Performer:  Christopher Parkening,  Julian Bream,  Andrés Segovia,  Ernesto Bitetti  ... 
    Conductor:  Ronald Ravenscroft,  Simon Rattle,  Antoni Ros Marbŕ,  Carlos Gomez
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  • 8.
    Essential Guitar
    Essential Guitar
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 95452 Release Date: 02/23/2010   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Joaquin Rodrigo,  Heitor Villa-Lobos,  John Lennon,  Francisco Tarrega  ... 
    Performer:  Angel Romero,  Manuel Barrueco,  David Tanenbaum,  Wulfin Lieske  ... 
    Conductor:  André Previn,  Iona Brown,  Antoni Ros Marbŕ,  Enrique Bátiz
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
    CD: $13.99
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  • 9.
    State Of The Art - The Story Of Deutsche Grammophon
    State Of The Art - The Story Of Deutsche Grammophon
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 001341102 Release Date: 12/15/2009   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Frédéric Chopin  ... 
    Performer:  Martha Argerich,  Cecilia Bartoli,  Rafal Blechacz,  Jean Soldan  ... 
    Conductor:  Claudio Abbado,  Géza Anda,  Daniel Barenboim,  Rudolf Baumgartner  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Gabrieli Consort,  Andalucian Dogs
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  • 10.
    111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon [6 CD Set]
    111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon [6 CD Set]
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 001340802 Release Date: 10/20/2009   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Franz Schubert  ... 
    Performer:  Gidon Kremer,  Martha Argerich,  Pierre-Laurent Aimard,  Hans Hotter  ... 
    Conductor:  Richard Strauss,  James Levine,  Leonard Bernstein
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Andalucian Dogs
    CD: $24.99
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  • 11.
    Segovia - The American Decca Recordings Vol 1
    Segovia - The American Decca Recordings Vol 1
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 4778133 Release Date: 05/26/2009   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Isaac Albeniz,  Enrique Granados,  Luis de Milan,  Gaspar Sanz  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 12.
    Andres Segovia Plays Bach, Haydn, Rodrigo, Scriabin, Etc
    Andres Segovia Plays Bach, Haydn, Rodrigo, Scriabin, Etc
    Label: Musical Concepts   Catalog: 1050 Release Date: 05/05/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Franz Joseph Haydn,  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Girolamo Frescobaldi,  Jean-Philippe Rameau  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 13.
    Spanish Guitar Composers - Albeniz, Granados, Ponce, Rodrigo, Sor, Tarrega, Etc / Andrés Segovia
    Spanish Guitar Composers - Albeniz, Granados, Ponce, Rodrigo, Sor, Tarrega, Etc / Andrés Segovia
    Label: Urania   Catalog: 375 Release Date: 03/31/2009   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Isaac Albeniz,  Enrique Granados,  Joaquin Malats,  Manuel Ponce  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 14.
    Legendary Treasures - Segovia And His Contemporaries Vol 11
    Legendary Treasures - Segovia And His Contemporaries Vol 11
    Label: Doremi Records   Catalog: 9755 Release Date: 11/11/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Agustín Barrios Mangoré,  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Francisco Tarrega,  Ludwig van Beethoven  ... 
    Performer:  Agustín Barrios Mangoré,  Nelly Ezcaray,  Miguel Llobet,  Maria Luisa Anido  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Aguilar-Pages Duo,  Iriarte-Pesoa Duo,  Spina-Baudino Duo  ... 
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  • 15.
    Albeniz, Granodos, Sanz, Sor
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 4775477 Release Date: 09/30/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Enrique Granados,  Isaac Albeniz,  Fernando Sor,  Dionysio Aguado  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 16.
    Andrés Segovia - The Master Guitarist
    Andrés Segovia - The Master Guitarist
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 08077 Release Date: 09/02/2008   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Manuel Ponce,  Federico Moreno-Torroba,  Fernando Sor,  Francisco Tarrega  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
    Conductor:  Alec Sherman
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New London Orchestra
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  • 17.
    Best Guitar 100
    Best Guitar 100
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 15241 Release Date: 06/24/2008   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Michael Praetorius,  Joaquin Rodrigo,  Manuel de Falla,  Enrique Granados  ... 
    Performer:  Christopher Parkening,  Ernesto Bitetti,  Manuel Barrueco,  Dario Rossetti-Bonell  ... 
    Conductor:  Antoni Ros Marbŕ,  Jeremy Lubbock,  Elmer Bernstein,  Simon Rattle  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philharmonia Orchestra,  London Symphony Orchestra,  City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra members  ... 
    CD: $18.99
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  • 18.
    The Ascona Recital & Other / Andrés Segovia
    The Ascona Recital & Other / Andrés Segovia
    Label: Urania   Catalog: 343 Release Date: 06/24/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Heitor Villa-Lobos,  Manuel Ponce,  Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco,  Isaac Albeniz  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 19.
    The Asconia Recital And Others
    The Asconia Recital And Others
    Label: Tactus   Catalog: URN22343 Release Date: 06/03/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Heitor Villa-Lobos,  Isaac Albeniz,  Girolamo Frescobaldi,  Jean-Philippe Rameau  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 20.
    Guitar Masterclass - Bach, Sor, Etc / Andrés Segovia
    Guitar Masterclass - Bach, Sor, Etc / Andrés Segovia
    Label: Regis   Catalog: 1295 Release Date: 01/29/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco,  Federico Moreno-Torroba,  Manuel Ponce,  Heitor Villa-Lobos  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 21.
    The Art Of Andrés Segovia Vol 4 - Studio Recordings 1952-58
    The Art Of Andrés Segovia Vol 4 - Studio Recordings 1952-58
    Label: Idi   Catalog: 6534 Release Date: 01/29/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Fernando Sor
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 22.
    The #1 Guitar Album - Segovia, Romero, Bream, Lagoya, Et Al
    The #1 Guitar Album - Segovia, Romero, Bream, Lagoya, Et Al
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 001041302 Release Date: 01/08/2008   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Antonio Vivaldi,  John Dowland,  Domenico Scarlatti  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia,  Göran Söllscher,  Pepe Romero,  Ida Presti  ... 
    Conductor:  Kenneth Sillito,  Sir Neville Marriner,  Nick Ingman,  Mats Rondin
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  I Musici,  Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,  Budapest Film Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $16.99
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  • 23.
    Andrés Segovia - Complete Bach Recordings 1927-1955
    Andrés Segovia - Complete Bach Recordings 1927-1955
    Label: Idi   Catalog: 6526 Release Date: 10/30/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 24.
    The Fabulous Andres Segovia
    The Fabulous Andres Segovia
    Label: Cherry Red   Catalog: 105 Release Date: 06/26/2007   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Federico Moreno-Torroba,  Joaquin Turina,  Heitor Villa-Lobos,  Oscar Esplá  ... 
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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  • 25.
    The Spanish Guitar Magic Of Segovia - Castelnuovo-tedesco
    The Spanish Guitar Magic Of Segovia - Castelnuovo-tedesco
    Label: Primo Records   Catalog: 6046 Release Date: 04/10/2007   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer:  Andrés Segovia
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