Barrios Mangore, Agustín

[Nick Armstrong]

I've long enjoyed the guitar works of this interesting character, and was glad to stumble on a Radio 4 extra repeat of this 2010 programme about him in the "Great Lives" series which I'd missed back then.

I'd heard a few of his pieces over the years, and then bought John Williams's Sony collection when it came out in the '90s



Haven't really pursued the interest any further - I would appreciate guidance on any other compilations since then which are of similar standard and which would expand my knowledge of the output of the flamboyant Sr. Barrios Mangore...

[Richard Tarleton]

Ashamed to say that "Dream in the forest" is about as far as I go with Barrios - I just haven't pursued him any further - it is a lovely piece, which also features on John Williams's Seville Concert..... Segovia met him in the 1930s but did not care for him or his music (long story I think), and it was to be a long time before John Willliams really put him on the map. Other pluckers e.g. johnb of this parish can maybe shed more light! The "tremolo" is a lovely effect - ring/middle/index fingers playing the same string to produce a seamless flow.....

[Nick Armstrong]

Segovia met him in the 1930s but did not care for him or his music (long story I think)

Discussed interestingly in the programme referred/linked to in my #1

[Joseph K]

The "tremolo" is a lovely effect - ring/middle/index fingers playing the same string to produce a seamless flow.....

Indeed it is... I have recently started learning 'Una Limosna Por el Amor de Dios' which also features some very nice harmonies.

[Richard Tarleton]

Lovely, Joseph - easy on the ear and the eye I haven't seen the music to that, it looks and sounds like a two fingered tremolo?

Also looks like a Smallman guitar? They don't 'alf make a big sound!

[Joseph K]

Actually, this piece was featured in last month's issue of the magazine Guitar Techniques, where it was taught as A-M-I, with P for the lower note of course. A few of the comments on that video seem to think she's using a two-finger tremolo, but I admit, I haven't observed the video closely enough to either confirm or deny that. I'm learning it the three-fingered way.

[Richard Tarleton]

Actually, this piece was featured in last month's issue of the magazine Guitar Techniques, where it was taught as A-M-I, with P for the lower note of course. A few of the comments on that video seem to think she's using a two-finger tremolo, but I admit, I haven't observed the video closely enough to either confirm or deny that. I'm learning it the three-fingered way.

Excellent. I fear my days of learning ambitious new tremolo pieces - actually, ambitious new pieces - are past. I did perform "Recuerdos" in Granada, back in 1972, but in the youth hostel not the Alhambra - an American bloke turned up in a scuzzy old van, and from under the dirty clothes in the back produced a guitar case containing the most beautiful Ramirez guitar which he allowed me to play to the random people sitting about.

Anyway back to Barrios.....

[BBMmk2]

I love South American guitar composers. haven't heard any in a long while since my old LP of a couple!