1993년 유림아트홀 연주회 실황 - El Ultimo Tremolo by Mangore

현재 갖고 있는 Contreras 2세가 나에게 온 1999년까지 나에겐 변변한 악기가 없었다. 1985년 대학생 콩쿨에서 부상으로 받은 원음 50호가 유일한 애기(愛器)였는데, 연주회는 다가오고... 해서 당시 레슨을 해드리던 ㅇㅇ그룹 회장님의 악기를 빌리기로 했다.

 

그 분은 나이 들어 배움을 시작했고 카르카시 조별 연습곡을 하나하나 해 나가던 상황이었는데, 남의 눈으로 보기에도 번듯한(?) 명기를 구입하여 연습하겠노라고 계속 나에게 말씀하셨다. 마침 스페인에 유학 중이던 장승호 씨가 잠시 귀국하는 길에 갖고 온 'Manuel Contreras 1세'를 소개해 드렸고, 그 분은 흥정이나 망설임도 없이 선뜻 사셨다. 너무나 아무렇지 않게 값비싼 명기를 구입하는 모습에서 오히려 장승호 씨가 당황할 정도였다.

 

그 뒤로 이 악기가 습도 조절도 없이 취미실로 쓰는 개인 거실에 세워져 있는 것을 계속 봤는데, 몇 년 후엔 보란듯이 뒤판이 쩍 갈라졌다. 가뜩이나 건조한 소리가 나던 악기였는데 여러 겨울을 극도로 건조하게 나면 어떻게 된다는 것을 직접 보여준 경우였다.

 

↓↓↓ El Ultimo Tremolo (최후의 트레몰로) by Agustin Barrios Mangore

 

다음은 www.mangore.com에 게시된 Tremolo와 El Ultimo Tremolo의 설명: 

 

If there is one guitar piece that every guitarist really, really wants to play is a tremolo piece. The best known is Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Remembrances of the Alhambra -the Moorish palace in Granada, Spain). It is one of the few great guitar compositions prior to Barrios Mangore. The world of music is generally divided in Before Bach-After Bach. The world of guitar I divide into Before Barrios-After Barrios . Recuerdos de la Alhambra is a gorgeous piece...Barrios Mangore Una Limosna por amor de Dios is a masterpiece. 

 

The best rendition of tremolo I have ever heard is Narciso Yepes. His Deutsche Grammophon recording of Recuerdos de la Alhambra is simply marvelous. Segovia's tremolo was also very good. He almost never played tremolos in his concerts though. This was due to the fact that besides Recuerdos, the other great tremolos were Mangore's Una Limosna por amor de Dios and Un Sueño en la floresta.  Segovia never played any Mangore although he greatly admired the Paraguayan composer whom he met in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He took a dedicated copy of La Catedral which he promised he would play and record...but never did...the reasons are almost too obvious...they call for sinful speculations.

 

If it were not for the English-Australian guitarist John Williams recording of Barrios in the 70s, we would probably not even know about this phenomenal composer and guitarist.

 

Tremolo is a mandolin type of effect which requires a specific kind of preparation from the student. It delivers the sensation of polyphony and stereophony to its fullest since the listener is often fooled in believing that actually two instruments are being performed simultaneously.

 

Una Limosna por amor de Dios is Mangore's last composition. The piece is based on a true story. 

 

The story goes like this: July 2nd 1944Mangore was in San Salvador teaching a lesson when, suddenly, someone knocks at the door. Barrios opens the door and an old lady with her arm stretching forwards tells him "Una Limosna por amor de Dios" -"An alm for the love of God"- Mangore gave the lady a few coins and then went back to his student with a smile on his face. Looked at him and told him: "I am working on a new piece and I know what I will do with it...I will incorporate the knocking at the door in the piece"...  Barrios died on August  7th 1944 and left the piece finished but without a title. When the student that was with him told this story, the piece was called "Una Limosna por amor de Dios"...for being Mangore's last composition it is often called "El Ultimo Canto" -The last song-

 

The Knocking appears in the very first measure and will never go away. It is represented by the 2 double eight notes which will play the counterpoint rhythmic melody to the tremolo -main melody.- The player should try to give the two consecutive notes its persistence character.