FOR STUDENTS AND GUITAR ENTHUSIASTS

Welcome! This page has been created to share activities and resources with anyone who may be interested in learning more about the guitar, its music and players. The content varies from information for listeners and beginning students to advanced musicians. The page was created with adult learners in mind, so please monitor young students with content and links.

Explorations in Listening

Prelude No. 1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)

Heitor Villa Lobos' guitar music is loved and performed by many. Especially familiar to guitarists are his Five Preludes which were written in 1940 and originally dedicated to Andres Segovia. The preludes were published by Max Eschig in 1954 and the dedication was amended to the composer's wife, Mindinha. (1) The aim of this listening activity is to highlight the frequently-performed "Prelude No. 1," observing various recordings (including one by the composer himself), and to explore some of Villa-Lobos' music for other instruments. Perhaps this activity will deepen understanding and perspective for someone learning "Prelude No. 1" or offer a fresh view for a guitarist or teacher who has lived with the work for many years.

Villa Lobos Plays Villa Lobos

An album of Heitor Villa Lobos playing his own works was released and reissued by SanCtuS Recordings:

"The original recordings on this CD were privately made between the mid-1920 and the early 1940s...The opportunity of listening to the composer himself performing his compositions on different instruments will give both musicians and music lovers a unique insight into Villa-Lobos the performer. I am confident that listeners will enjoy the astonishing technical abilities of the composer and will appreciate the great musical value of his interpretations."–Betina Maag Santos (2)

Included on this album are the guitar pieces, Chôro No.1 and "Prelude No.1" from Cinq Preludes. The album is posted on Spotify and tracks have also been made available by Youtube users.

Here are some possible questions to explore:

How does the composer's performance of his own work bear similarities or differences to recordings with which you are most familiar? What recordings do you prize as references for this piece? In what ways are the composer's interpretative ideas expressed within the score itself and do other performers adhere to his notated directives? Are there technological factors to consider when listening to an historical recording (ex. speed, pitch)?

Music by Villa Lobos for Other Instruments

Villa Lobos composed more than 2,000 works and only a small portion of those are written for guitar. Here are links to some performances to explore:

The Jet Whistle for flute and cello
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP6tpyD1FDI
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for soprano and 8 cellos introduced and conducted by Leonard Bernstein
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFtZeOFAaTY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0d9SrUeOwI
"Toccata, The Little Train of Caipira" from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhGTQfyVj5w
"O Gatinho de Papelão No. 2" from A Prole do Bebê No. 2
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy6dk6tBZ9g

Biography and Influences

Knowledge about the musical and artistic trends of the era when Villa Lobos composed these works as well as the specific influences on his writing can greatly deepen understanding and appreciation for the harmony, forms, subjects and other aspects of his musical style. Here are a few resources for learning more:

A Few Recordings of Prelude No. 1 to Enjoy

Attempting to present variety, I have selected several recordings to share and chose contemporary as well as legendary performers. Of course there are many, many more as this is an extremely popular piece. Enjoy!

Ilona Skowrońska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fspgHH9YWO4
John Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lXJ5HvGYHA
Ida Presti https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVRtXEE7Q-U
Narciso Yepes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdAgyqsyjxo
Ricardo Cobo https://open.spotify.com/track/5rd1Q0KXgWbfJMYzD2oo7D?si=6bea9f2e4c2545fc
Jason Becker https://open.spotify.com/track/2oodK9BzypD6YSuK9uGmaf?si=97f58e2c0cd24564

Bonus

If you relish the opening measures of Prelude No. 1 but are not quite ready to learn the piece, consider learning Kleine Romanze by Luise Walker. It is a lovely work and not nearly as difficult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcue3Kns3us

Sources:

1. Thérèse Wassily Saba as cited by https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W16321_120404

2. Betina Maag Santos as cited by https://sanctusrecordings.com/index.php/villalobos_plays_post/

Featured Score

Each year, Marlow Guitar International commissions three new works that serve as set pieces for the Myrna Sislen Youth Guitar Competition and the sheet music is shared with the public for free. You can download the scores for this year's works composed by Celil Refik Kaya on MGI's website:

https://marlowguitar.org/myrnasislen/

Turkish-American guitarist Celil Refik Kaya began playing guitar at age six under the tutelage of his father. He is a prize-winning, renowned soloist who has toured all over the world and teaches at Kean University Music Conservatory and New Jersey City University. He has composed over 100 works for guitar, piano, strings and orchestra. While no recordings are currently available for the pieces linked above due to their premiere in the competition, Dr. Kaya can be heard performing another of his pieces in the video below. You can also learn more about his music and outstanding accomplishments at www.celilrefikkaya.com.

Resources

Daily Scale Videos:

You can practice your major scales along with me in these videos made for my beginning students learning notes in first position and key signatures. Goals include mastery of note knowledge, consistent use of first-position fretting-hand fingerings, right-hand finger alternation, and tone. The tempo is 80 bpm.