(September 2025) Episode 680 is ANDRÉS SEGOVIA. He was far from the first, but he contributed more than anyone to popularizing classical guitar as a lead instrument in its own right, due to his touring and recording in the mid-20th Century. And he was self-taught! While he did compose some (mostly small) pieces on his own, he made a mark as interpreter of works written for other instruments, most prominently of J.S. Bach. The other big area was contemporary works written specifically for him, the most notable (to me) is Joaquín Rodrigo’s Fantasía para un Gentilhombre, a collaboration that delightfully evokes a pastoral Spanish landscape.
Favorite piece: Fantasia para un Gentilhombre
Compared to expectations: same
Recommendation: Segovia plays Bach is a good one-album length of material. There are a couple collections (of four and nine volumes) that capture a wider scope of work.
Opus Project 