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Castillos de España, a suite written for the classical guitar, takes the listener on a musical tour of the famous castles of Spain. This particular castle, Torija, is in the Guadalajara province, located just off the road between Madrid and Barcelona.
An innovative composer who introduced a Spanish folk music form, the zarzuela, to the international concert stage, Torroba (1891-1982) also composed operas. It is for his works written for the classical guitar,however, that Torroba is best remembered.
This piece has a reflective, thoughtful feel. Interpretive techniques which help you express this emotional tone can help you make the piece come to life. Try using slight variations of the tempo and dynamics to create an introspective mood in your listeners.
Spot Practice Clip:
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Please make sure to sustain the F# on the second string, which is the most important melodic note in the first phrase, perhaps with a little vibrato, as you can see your instructor demonstrate on the clip.
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In this phrase, the melodic rhythm is the same as the accompaniment rhythm. The accompaniment consists mainly of block chords. To avoid the phrase sounding staccato (disconnected), make sure that you play the melodic notes legato, without much rest in between them. Remember, slow practice will help with hard left-hand transitions.
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