Marcin Dylla - M. Ponce: Sonata Romántica

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In 1929 Manuel Ponce (1882-1948) created one of the greatest works in the classical guitar repertoire: his Sonata Romántica.

The story is that the guitarist Andres Segovia asked him to compose a piece for the guitar which was in the style of the Romantic Period. The piece is dedicated to Andrés Segovia and its subtitle is Hommage a Franz Schubert. Schubert was a leading composer during the Romantic Period.

During editing Segovia communicated to Ponce this problem with the fourth movement:

"... I threw myself into the finale like a hungry dog ... and I am furious with the guitar. What you would least imagine -- for the first time with your music!! -- comes out impossible: the arpeggios .... And you have coincided with the same type of difficulty that makes the prelude in the E major by Bach (violin solo) unbridgeable for guitar. And the difficulty, in both passages, is that it is necessary to have a succession of step wise intervals on the same string, staying, at the same time, in one position, at times senselessly, in order to strike the disjunct note of the arpeggio. Do you understand? On the guitar the technique of the arpeggio is derived almost strictly from the possibilities of the blocked chord. What is not possible in a chord struck together, is not possible in arpeggiation, unless it is played very slowly. How are you going to fix this? I am truly desperate, because I like it as it is. Rescue it however you can, please! Do not modify the rhythm, nor the melodic disposition of the chords: change the form of the arpeggio. You will see how well the three previous movements go. The andante is delightful: among the best that Schubert left without doing. I spend all day playing it. The guitar sounds delightful."

Segovia was enthusiastic about the revised version which Ponce sent soon thereafter.

1.Allegro moderato (0:00)
2.Andante espressivo (7:54)
3.Allegretto vivo: Più lento espressivo (12:25)
4.Allegro non troppo e serioso (15:32)


Marcin Dylla, Poland
Live - Wawel Royal Castle at Dusk
Guitar: Double top Boguslaw Teryks, Poland


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