New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-10-20
Only Ignorant
Disparage Guitar
BY Yahdah Olcott Bickford

by fan00n OkCOIt DICklOIu
The average musicians of the present
day, in contradistinction to the ma
jority Of the great musicians of the
past, usually ignore the guitar. and
even if they speak of it at all usually
do so in disparaging manner. 1t is
the purpose Of this article to show that
this is the result of ignorance Of the
instrument and its possibilities.
AS a solo instrument the guitar is
moro complete and charming than any
other small instrument, supplying at
once both melody and accompaniment.
Many beautiful effects are possible on
instance, the vibrato and the porta-
mcnto. 1t has many other character
istic effects which are unobtainablc on
any other instrument. For arpeggio
effects it rivals the harp, while it is
able to do difficult and extended chro-
matte runs and other effects which are
impossible or impracticable on the
harp. It's harmonicS are Of more
beautiful tcnc quality than those of
any other instrument. Many. of the
cla-' are exquisite on the guitar, and
it is fact that some that were writ
ten for other instruments are more cf-
fectively done on the guitar than on
the instrument for which they were
written. This, Of course, is not so with
all classics, for every instrument has
its own limitations. The fact that the
mighty Beethoven said of the guitar:
"!t is miniature orchestra in ITSELF"
should be enough to recommend the in
strumcnt to his many devotecs. Bee
thoven knew whereof he spoke, for he
was an intimate friend and admirer of
the famous master Of the guitar. Mauro
Giuiani
The guitar has an extensive litera-
ture Of masterpieces written for it in
The days when it was the most popular
instrument i'll Europe, as we'll as more
modern. compositions and transcript
tons Of many Of the modern classics.
Manuel Garcia was very fine
guitarist, and said he could not speak
too highly of the guitar as an accom-
paniment to the voice, both for con-
cert purposes and vocal practice. He
taught his daughter, the famous Nine.
Mal!bran. the guitar, and she often
used it, to the great delight of her
audiences, to accompany, herself.
Joachim, the renowned viclinist, was
company, his sister Amalia on the
guitar when she sang. Nies Gadc was
guitarist and son of a famous guitar
maker. Some of his music is most
beautiful on the guitar. 1t is said thats
Gounod wrote the melodies. or picked
out the melodies. Of the opera "Faust"
on hls guitar. Hc was G great lover Of
the instrument and played it well. His
guitar is now in the Paris Museum
Donizctti wrote parts for the guitar
IN some of his operas, as did also Ros-
SIM. The score of "The Barber Of
Seville" shows parts for guitars. Why
are guitars not used at the Metropoli-
tan in giving that opera and others
that have been written for guitars?
Pizzicato violins are joke and farce
when guitars are called for. Berlioz
spoke Of this matter Of substituting in
StrumcntS for the ones the COMPOSER
called for. and denounced the practice.
1t is absurd. and merely goes to show
the prejudice which is the natural out
come OF ignorance.
Moscheles and Hurmc! the we'll
known pianists, were both excellent
guitarists and both wrote for the
guitar, and toured Europe at different
times playing trios Of their owa compo-
sAtlon with Maysedor, the great violin
lst, and Giuliani, the great euitarist.
rms same Giuliani played in the Or
cheStra during the first production of
one of BeethOven's symphonies, under
the baton of the COMPOSER himself.
Contrary to the popular opinion Of
those who are entirely ignorant con-
corning the possibilities and the litcrs
ture Of Che instrument, many Of the
works for the guitar rival in Both d n;-
Guilty and beauty the famous concorto,
tor violin and piano. One fire 'cel!ist
told tho writer CT this article that the
most beautiful work he had ever heard
of Paganini's was his quartet for vio
lin, viola. cello and guitar containing
a solo part for the guitar This work
has been given only one public per
formance in America,
The guitar as an accompaniment for