The name Andrs Segovia is indelibly inscribed in the annals of twentieth century

classical guitar. By dint of concerted missionary zeal, Segovia spread his gospe
l globally over a period of more than five decades.
Among those activities for which he became legendary, original composition for t
he guitar is not included. While Segovia is purported to have written more than
fifty guitar miniatures, he appears to have attached little significance to his
compositions: he never included any in his concert programmes or discography. At
the time of his death a considerable number remained unpublished; only under pr
essure from his publishers for new material had Segovia presented some of these
for publication. They attest to his skills for combining didactic challenges wit
h musical beauty and several became favourites with students and concert perform
ers.
The review disc features Agustin Maruri who plays thirty-two of Segovia s composit
ions on a 1962 Herman Hauser II guitar owned by the composer. The accompanying n
otes by Angelo Gilardino are most informative and contain a number of rare black
and white photographs.
Intelligent programming places the best-known original works by Segovia at the b
eginning of the recording. Oracin (1), Remembranza (2) and Estudio Sin Luz (3) we
re all published during his lifetime and garnered favour among guitarists.
It is ironic that, during a period of renaissance and when the guitar experience
d a paucity of repertory, most of these miniatures from the pen of someone so fa
mous would remain in obscurity. Having reviewed the disc several times one feels
a sense of privilege in having at last heard them.
Agustin Maruri has an obvious empathy for this music and generally plays it well
but there is one Achilles heel: in many of the rapid single note passages the st
andard of execution is below that typically experienced, and indeed expected, on
recordings. Occasionally rapid passages of harmony are also not played legato.
This is most obvious in the following works: (2), (3), (6), (21), (28), and ofte
n compounded by a propensity to play the compositions beyond their recommended s
peed or atypically fast.
Remembranza (2) is a case in point where Segovia did indicate a specific tempo.
David Russell, Spanish Legends Telarc CD-80633, plays this piece in 2:48, and ex
hibits his usual technical perfection. Alirio Diaz, Vanguard Classics 08 9194 72
, provides a fine version in a time of 2:18. On the review disc it is executed i
n 2:08 and the technical warts are obvious.
Estudio Sin Luz (3) suffers a similar fate: rapid single note passages are again
compromised and leave one with an uneasy feeling that the player was on the edg
e of coming unstuck. This composition is also included on the previously referen
ced recording by David Russell on which occasion it is executed, again to perfec
tion, in a time of 3:21. Mr. Maruri may fare better by lowering his tempo from t
hat used on the review recording (2:43).
Few would disagree that Remembranza is both musically and didactically a treasur
e, but for different reasons it loses some of its intrinsic Spanish identity at
the hand of both David Russell and Agustin Maruri. Having never heard Segovia pl
ay it I still feel confident in suggesting that everything with which he imbued
it is revealed in the rendition (2:18) by Jose Luis Gonzalez, The Art of the Spa
nish Guitar CBS S 73656
The review disc is a useful recording for students of the guitar and essential f
or aficionados of Andrs Segovia. Of those pieces which have been recorded on othe
r occasions, renditions by guitarists such as David Russell and Jose Luis Gonzal
ez are technically and musically superior.

Zane Turner