The album's title, "Al Compás de la Vihuela," comes from the first stanza of "Martín Fierro," Argentina's most representative narrative poem.
Instruments
The vihuela, the preferred instrument of the Spanish Renaissance, was eventually displaced by the guitar by the end of the 18th century.
Recording & Production
For this recording, Alejo de los Reyes used three guitars, two built in the late 18th-century style by luthier Luc Breton and his disciple Serge Rinsoz, and one late 19th-century Salvador Ibáñez guitar restored by Breton.
Historical Context
The vast musical culture of South America was significantly influenced by Jesuit missions during the early colonial period, linking it to European Renaissance and Baroque music.
Interpretation
Alejo de los Reyes employs typical vihuela and Renaissance guitar playing techniques like dedillo and alzapúa, which he learned from studying Renaissance music.
Historical Context
Playing techniques abandoned in European academic practice during the 19th century were preserved in the musical traditions of the Americas.
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