The vihuela, an instrument featured in the oldest music on this album, was a Spanish instrument that looked like a guitar but was tuned like a lute.
Historical Context
The vihuela became popular in Spain after the last of the Moors were expelled in 1492, following Spain's liberation from Arab rule.
Instruments
Francisco Tárrega, a composer on this album, acquired a new type of guitar in 1868 made by Antonio de Torres, which had a deeper sound suited to the Romantic era.
Compositional Technique
Francisco Tárrega, a composer on this album, introduced innovations in timbre and technique for the guitar, and his compositions were richer in content than those of his contemporaries.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Manuel de Falla, a composer on this album, was influenced by Claude Debussy's music, and Debussy, in turn, often used Spanish 'seasoning' in his own compositions.
Composition History
Manuel de Falla's Homenaje, a piece on this album, is an obituary in Habanera rhythm dedicated to the French master of timbre Claude Debussy, who died in 1918.
Composer Biography
Francisco Tárrega, a composer on this album, suffered from poor vision due to an eye infection in childhood, which may have led him to hear the guitar's sound more acutely.
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