How Andres Segovia Changed the World of the Classical Guitar

There is no disputing that Segovia was one of the greatest classical guitarists that ever lived but his impact on the world of the classical guitar extended far beyond just his ability to play. He had a profound impact on every aspect of the modern classical guitar.

Before Andres Segovia the classical guitar was considered an instrument for the common people. It was deemed to be something played in bar rooms and taverns. This reputation was well deserved for several reasons. There was no solid repertoire for the guitar, no good transcriptions of traditional classical music, few composers writing for it, and no instruments with sufficient volume and sound quality that could play in large concert halls. Andres Segovia addressed and corrected all of these issues and in the process he elevated the classical guitar to its modern status of respected solo and ensemble classical instrument.

Segovia as Classical Guitarist

His approach to how he played classical guitar was a microcosm of his approach to the art and music of the guitar as a whole. Since the begininings of the classical guitar a debate has been raging, and will continue to rage, as to whether a classical guitarist should play with the fingernails or fingertips of his right hand. Segovia, true to his ability to break new ground, developed his own unique approach to this. He played with both! He had the unique style of using both a part of the nail and a part of the fingertip to pluck the guitar strings. This gave him a very distinct sound and it gave him the ability to play in a very broad range of tone.

Segovia as Guitar Maker

Not only did he transform the way guitars were played but he also transformed the way guitars were made. And while he didn’t make any guitars himself he did work closely with leading guitar makers in the early years of the twentieth century to create and design guitars that were better suited to playing classical music and better suited to playing in larger venues. He worked with guitar makers to find and select better woods and to achieve shapes and sizes that better expressed the volume and tone needed for larger concert halls. He also championed and popularized the use of nylon strings, which is what all classical guitars use today. He is generglly attributed as being a major contributor to what is now known as the modern classical Guitar.

Segovia as the Bridge between Classical Music and the guitar

One of his most important contributions to the world of classical guitar was his tireless transcription of traditional classical music pieces into works for the classical guitar. This brought many of the popular composers and works to the repertoire of the classical guitarist and it gave audiences a fresh new look at some of the old classics of the genre. Before him there was very little repertoire for the classical guitarist to choose from and among his many transciptions that of Bach’s Chachonne is considered to be one of the finest and most difficult works for the guitar. As he found fame and the guitar grew to new heights of respectability contemporary composers turned their eyes and their ears to the guitar and wrote compositions specifically for it and for him. Heitor Villa-Lobos was one of the foremost composers taking this new instrument to new heights and he wrote many works specifically for Segovia.

His Legacy

Because of the tireless work and lifelong passion of Andres Segovia the classical guitar has taken its place as one of the premiere solo and ensemble instruments in the realm of classical music. He addressed and overcame every obstacle that faced the guitar and brought it to the height of respectability it now holds. Famous students that studied directly under him such as Eliot Fisk, Christopher Parkening, and John Williams carry on the tradition of this wonderful instrument.