Musical Analysis of Agustín Pio Barrios Mangoré’s Masterpiece “La Catedral”
Mehmet Görkem Bilgütay, Burak SağırkayaThis study presents a comprehensive analysis of Agustín Barrios Mangoré’s "La Catedral," which holds significant importance in the classical guitar repertoire. "La Catedral" consists of three distinct sections: "Preludio Saudade," "Andante Religioso," and "Allegro Solemne." Each section reflects various aspects of Barrios’ compositional style, combining technical complexity with deep emotional intensity. Initially composed of two sections, "La Catedral" was later expanded with the addition of "Preludio Saudade" after twenty years, thus transforming it into a three-section structure. "Preludio Saudade," as the first section of the piece, evokes a sense of nostalgia and spiritual longing with its contemplative nature. "Andante Religioso," on the other hand, portrays the solemnity of a religious ceremony, showcasing Barrios’ technical mastery on a more introspective level. Finally, the "Allegro Solemne" section demonstrates Barrios’ skill in creating a lively and dynamic musical narrative. This analysis highlights "La Catedral" as a rich resource for musical analysis and theoretical studies due to its intricate harmonic structure and intertwined melodic lines. In this study, the "Preludio Saudade," "Andante Religioso," and "Allegro Solemne" sections are examined from technical and structural perspectives. The findings contribute significantly to understanding the technical challenges, performance requirements, guitar technique, and interpretation of the piece. It is believed that this research, along with future comparative studies, will provide a deeper insight into Barrios’ influence on guitar music.
Agustín Pio Barrios Mangoré’nin Ustalık Eseri La Catedral’in Müzikal Analizi
Mehmet Görkem Bilgütay, Burak SağırkayaBu çalışma, klasik gitar repertuarında büyük bir öneme sahip olan Agustín Barrios Mangoré’nin "La Catedral" adlı eserinin derinlemesine bir analizini sunmaktadır. "La Catedral", üç ayrı bölümden oluşan bir yapıya sahiptir: "Preludio Saudade", "Andante Religioso" ve "Allegro Solemne". Her bir bölüm, Barrios’un çeşitli bestecilik stillerini yansıtan teknik ve duygusal karmaşıklıkları içerir. İlk olarak iki bölümden oluşan esere yirmi yıl sonra "Preludio Saudade" eklenmiştir, bu da eseri üç bölümlü bir yapıya dönüştürmüştür. "Preludio Saudade", eserin ilk bölümü olarak, düşünceli doğasıyla nostalji ve manevi özlem hissi uyandırmaktadır. "Andante Religioso" ise dini bir törenin ciddiyetini yansıtarak Barrios’un teknik ustalığını daha içsel bir boyutta sergiler. Son olarak, "Allegro Solemne" bölümü, Barrios’un canlı ve dinamik bir müzikal anlatı yaratma becerisini gösterir. Bu inceleme, "La Catedral"ın karmaşık armonik yapısı ve iç içe geçmiş melodik hatlarıyla, müzikal analiz ve teori çalışmaları için zengin bir kaynak olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu çalışmada, "Preludio Saudade", "Andante Religioso" ve "Allegro Solemne" bölümleri teknik ve yapısal açıdan incelenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, eserin teknik zorlukları, performans gereksinimleri, gitar tekniği ve yorumlama konularında önemli katkılar sağlamaktadır. Bu araştırmanın ileride yapılacak karşılaştırmalı incelemelerle birlikte Barrios’un gitar müziğindeki etkisine yönelik daha derinlemesine bir anlayış sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.
This article was prepared from the master’s thesis titled “An Analysis of Agustin Barrios Mangoré’s Guitar Composition ’La Catedral’ in Terms of Technique and Musical Aspects”.
20th-century guitar music can be considered a period in which the foundations of the classical guitar were determined by evolving in interaction with Latin American music. The literature review shows that Barrios’ music played a decisive role in this evolution. Both as a composer and performer, Barrios has contributed significantly to the universalization of the Latin guitar. Technical innovations and forms of musical expression determined the originality of Barrios’ works. The forms of expression he used and the new techniques he experimented with have become one of the defining elements of the universal guitar. In this way, Barrios’ legacy has emerged from the Latin American guitar music tradition to a position of international recognition and appreciation.
This research emphasizes the importance of Barrios’ “La Catedral” in the guitar music repertoire. In that way, it is thought that it will make an important contribution to guitar music literature. Because La Catedral is considered one of Barrios’ masterpieces. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no official study of this work. In this context, the research sought to answer the question “How is the technical and musical analysis of Agustin Barrios Mangore’s guitar piece ‘La Catedral’?”. The purpose of this research is to analyze the guitar piece “La Catedral” by the Paraguayan composer and guitar virtuoso Agustin Barrios Mangore from a technical and musical point of view. In this study, music examination and musical analysis models were used. The original notes of the composition were examined in depth using the method of "musical analysis." The obtained data were classified according to research questions, identified, and interpreted. The tonality, harmony, and formal structure of the piece were analyzed in detail. Jesus Benites’ edition, which is closest to the original notation, was used in this study.
In this study, the tonality, form, harmonic structure, and other musical elements of Barrios’ “La Catedral” were evaluated. The following results were obtained in the examination:
It was determined that there was no detailed study on La Catedral in the national literature at the time of the research, and it was concluded that the findings obtained as a result of the research were added to the literature. Barrios’ La Catedral can be considered a masterpiece in terms of counterpoint, reflecting the influence of Bach on the Latin classical guitar. Thus, it can be said that La Catedral served as a bridge between classical Latin music and western music. The work can also be seen as a reflection of Barrios’ artistic expression. Fast arpeggio and chord transitions require technical skill for guitarists. When the first movement of the piece is analyzed, “Preludio Saudade” has a structure consisting of 48 measures in “B minor” tonality. The related major of the “si minor” tone, the “re major” tone, is also used in the piece. The section is completed with the coda following sentences a and b. The harmonic structure and rhythmic features of the A theme emphasize the characteristic features of the piece. It was observed that inversion chords were frequently used in the B theme. It was concluded that the first movement has a rich harmonic structure and reflects the characteristics of the period.
It was concluded that the first movement has a rich harmonic structure and reflects the characteristics of the period. Along with the same “si minor” tone, the “fa sharp minor” tone is also used. It is seen that there are 24 measures in the piece. It was observed that this chapter reflects religious and spiritual depth. It is concluded that the melodic structure and rhythmic features of the section contribute to the emotional depth of the piece.
The third movement of the work, “Allegro Solemne”, is written in the form of a rondo in the tonality of “si minor”. The related major of the “si minor” tone, the “re major” tone, is also used in the piece. This section consists of 107 measures with repetitions. It was determined that it consists of themes A, B, and C in terms of form structure. It was concluded that there are two episodes and a coda section. It is concluded that the dynamic structure and melodic variety of the A theme emphasize the energetic and lively structure of the piece.
The technical difficulties and performance requirements of this piece will provide an important area of research for guitarists. In this context, the interpretation of the performance analysis of the piece can be considered a suitable field for academic studies focusing on guitar education and practices. Academics and music educators can increase their knowledge of guitar music and composition through a detailed study of this work.
A comparative study of Barrios’ works with those of contemporary composers can contribute to the expansion and enrichment of the guitar music repertoire. These suggestions may lead to a deeper understanding of the influence of "La Catedral" and Agustin Barrios Mangoré on guitar music and to new avenues of research in the field of guitar music.