Pedro Ximénes Abril Tirado (Arequipa 1780-1856) was a prolific composer and instrumentalist. Referred to as the "Rossini of America" by his contemporaries, he was the most important musician of his time in Latin America. His works included masses, symphonies, violin concertos, works for voice and guitar, voice and piano, cello, and also a significant output for the guitar, with his "Yaravis" and his famous minuets. The quality of those minuets (Collection of 100 Minuets for Guitar) is corroborated by sources examined by researcher Néstor Guestrín, who describes that these pieces were known and interpreted by the very Andrés Segovia, although not included in any programs.
Another source, from Tirado's obituary in the news publication "Nueva Era", declares that "the celebrated Sor, the best guitarist in the world, after meticulously examining a collection of compositions by Tirado for this instrument (the cited works), bursted out a praise "If this american, who I wish I knew, had studied music in Europe, forget about Rossini and forget about the rest of the musical world". How these minuets arrived at the hands of Sor is unknown, but sources indicate that Abril Tirado's patron, Santa Cruz, was going to showcase the pieces in one of his voyages, before going into exile to Paris. Another curious fact regarding his work comes from "Origen e Historia de la Guitarra", where researcher Cedar Vigleitti points out that Verdi might have incorporated some of Abril's 'Yaravis' in his opera La Traviata. (from: "La Guitarra en el Perú". Bases para su historia, by Octavio Santa Cruz; and Pedro Abril Ximénez Tirado: "El Rossini de América", by Dario Montiel)
