Andrés Segovia

Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 - 2 June 1987) was a Spanish classical guitarist born in Andalucia, Spain. He is remembered for his expressive performances: his wide palette of tone, and his distinctive (often instantly recognizable) musical personality in tone, phrasing/timing and style, revealing his deep personal insight and expressive commitment in music.

Segovia's main musical aesthetic preferences were music of the early 20th century (and turn of the century) especially in the Spanish romantic-modern and nationalist style - a style different from flamenco. This spanish romantic-modern style is one that Segovia helped shape, and it is perhaps best typified by Segovia's interpretation of his own work Estudio sin Luz . Many works of this and similar style were written especially for him and formed part of his core repertoire: particularly the guitar works of Federico Moreno Torroba (1891-1982), such as the Sonatina, which was first performed by Segovia in Paris (1925) to an invited audience that included Maurice Ravel, who was impressed by it. Many of Torroba's works were written for and dedicated to Segovia. Another example of a work in this style (Spanish late-romantic, or Spanish modern-romantic), includes Segovia's performance of Manuel de Falla's dark Spanish requiem-type homage to Debussy, Homenaje pour le tombeau de Debussy .

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