Francisco Bartolomé Sanz Celma (ca. 1640 – 1710),
better known as Gaspar Sanz, was a Spanish composer,
guitarist, and priest born to a wealthy family in
Calanda in the comarca of Bajo Aragón, Spain. He
studied music, theology and philosophy at the
University of Salamanca, where he was later appointed
Professor of Music. He wrote three volumes of
pedagogical works for the baroque guitar that form an
important part of today's classical guitar repertory
and have informed modern scholars in the ...(+)
Francisco Bartolomé Sanz Celma (ca. 1640 – 1710),
better known as Gaspar Sanz, was a Spanish composer,
guitarist, and priest born to a wealthy family in
Calanda in the comarca of Bajo Aragón, Spain. He
studied music, theology and philosophy at the
University of Salamanca, where he was later appointed
Professor of Music. He wrote three volumes of
pedagogical works for the baroque guitar that form an
important part of today's classical guitar repertory
and have informed modern scholars in the techniques of
baroque guitar playing. His birth date is unknown but
he was baptized as Francisco Bartolomé Sanz Celma in
the church of Calanda de Ebro, Aragon on 4 April 1640
later adopting the first name "Gaspar".
After gaining his Bachelor of Theology at the
University of Salamanca, Gaspar Sanz traveled to
Naples, Rome and perhaps Venice to further his music
education. He is thought to have studied under Orazio
Benevoli, choirmaster at the Vatican and Cristofaro
Caresana, organist at the Royal Chapel of Naples. Sanz
learned to play guitar while studying under Lelio
Colista and was influenced by the music of the Italian
guitarists Foscarini, Granata, and Corbetta. When Sanz
returned to Spain he was appointed instructor of guitar
to Don Juan (John of Austria), the only recognized
natural-born son of King Philip IV and María
Calderón, a noted actress of the day.
In 1674 he wrote his now famous Instrucción de Música
sobre la Guitarra Española, published in Saragossa and
dedicated to Don Juan. A second book entitled Libro
Segundo de cifras sobre la guitarra española was
printed in Saragossa in 1675. A third book, Libro
tercero de mùsica de cifras sobre la guitarra
española, was added to the first and second books, and
all three were published together under the title of
the first book in 1697, eventually being published in
eight editions. The ninety works in this masterpiece
are his only known contribution to the repertory of the
guitar and include compositions in both punteado
("plucked") style and rasqueado ("strummed") style. In
addition to his musical skills, Gaspar Sanz was noted
in his day for his literary works as a poet and writer,
and was the author of some poems and two books now
largely forgotten. His excellent translation of the
celebrated L'huomo di lettere by Jesuit Daniello
Bartoli first appeared in 1678, with further editions
in 1744 and 1787. Sanz died in Madrid in 1710.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaspar_Sanz).
Although originally composed for Classical Guitar, I
created this Interpretation of the "Preludio o Capricho
arpeado" from "Instrucción de Música" for Concert
(Pedal) Harp.