Segovia, Andrés

b. 1893, Linares (Granada); d. 1987, Madrid

   Guitarist

   Considered to be probably the leading guitar soloist in any country this century, Segovia, building on the work of Francisco Tárrega, had an important role in consolidating the popularity of the guitar as a concert instrument, transcribing works originally written for lute and vihuela, and composing guitar arrangements of pieces by Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Schumann, among others (see also guitar music).

   While studying piano and violin at the Granada Musical Institute, Segovia became interested in the guitar, and decided to specialize in this instrument, despite the opposition of his family, who regarded the guitar as not quite respectable. As a consequence, he was largely selftaught, but he persev-ered, giving concerts to small audiences in the years 1907 to 1912, when he performed for the first time in Madrid, followed by an appearance in Barcelona in 1916. A successful tour of various Latin American countries began in 1919, and in 1923 he made his début in London, followed by an appearance in Paris in 1924.

   By then Segovia was well launched on an international performing career which took him to Germany, Scandinavia, the Soviet Union and the USA. On the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936, he left Spain for Uruguay, where he lived for several years, later moving to the US. It was in Montevideo that in 1939 he gave the world première of Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Guitar Concerto in D.Already, several major composers, with his encouragement, had written new music for the guitar, including Falla, Rodrigo, Ponce and Villa-Lobos. Segovia also stimulated interest in the guitar by his teaching activity, which began in Siena in 1914, continued at Santiago de Compostela, and culminated in a series of masterclasses given at the University of California at Berkeley. One of his best-known pupils in the English-speaking world is John Williams. Segovia was awarded many honours, including Spain's Gold Medal for Merit, honorary doctorates from Oxford (1972) and Loyola University, New Orleans (1976), and, in 1978, membership of the Royal Saint Ferdinand Academy of Fine Arts (see also Royal Academies).

   See also: folk music; music; performing arts

   Further reading

   - Clinton, G. (ed.) (1978) Andrés Segovia, London: Musical New Services (a useful collection of essays and interviews).

   - Purcell, R.C. (1973) Andrés Segovia: Contributions to the World of the Guitar, Sherman Oaks, CA: Purcell (includes a list of published works and a discography).

   EAMONN RODGERS