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Andrés Segovia

	Early U.S. Performance reviews New York Time's 1927 article announcing the advent of Segovia first American Tour: "the leading exponent of an instrument that heretofore had little consideration as a vehicle for the interpretation of serious music." New York Times 1928 review of Segovia's United States debut: A great master who "did not and cannot succeed in removing the limitations which will always surround his instrument." New York Times,  January 23, 1928 Segovia's Musical Forum, Guild Theatre Concert New York Times,  January 30, 1928 Packed Theatre Hears Segovia New York Times, February 5, 1928 Ovation to Segovia: Guitarist Gives a Work of Variations With Glittering Effects
Biography of Segovia's life and work Bach's Chaconne and the Guitar, translation of 1930 article by Marc Pincherle, Secretary of the French Society of Musicology in Paris Segovia's luthier, Manuel Ramirez reminisces about making guitars for him and his vain efforts to please him
	Segovia Town Hall Recital Program Text Interview with Segovia by the New Jersey Classical Guitar Society

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Ovation to Segovia
Guitarist Gives a Work of Variations With Glittering Effects
NYT Feb 5. 1928

Andrés Segovia, the young Spaniard whose playing of the guitar has astonished and delighted local concertgoers this season, reappeared in a recital yesterday afternoon in the Town Hall before an audience that overflowed to the stage.

He began with an Etude and Theme Variations by Ferdinand Sor, a little-known early composer represented on M. Segovia’s debut program some weeks ago. In the second of these pieces a charming set of variations with the true eighteenth-century sparkle and glitter, the artist achieving some ravishing effects, bringing from his instrument in passages of lightning speed and intricate weaving of voices rainbow cascades of diamond-points of tone.

Bach, Hayden, Granados, Albeniz and Torroba were other composers represented on the program. Mr. Segovia was enthusiastically received and gave several encores.

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Musical Forum
NYT Jan 23, 1928

Andres Segovia made his second public appearance in New York at the concerto given by the Musical Forum last night in the Guild Theatre. With Mr. Segovia appeared a select chorus of solo voices directed by Kurt Schindler, which sang part songs by various Spanish composers and by Maurice Ravel ("Trois chansons"). Mr. Segovia was if anything more fortunate on this occasion than on that of his New York debut. He was heard in the first place, in an auditorium of a special intimacy against a background of the deep shadows of curtains that set the stage, and the Spanish costumes of the singers. The lights were low while he played. His performance was as an improvisation for a group of appreciative friends.

Thus Mr. Segovia was able to indulge his penchant for fine effects to the utmost; and these effects crossed the footlights. More than ever he appeared entirely apart from the concert artist or professional virtuoso. More than ever he wrapped a spell about his audience. The guitar had a hundred colors, a hundred voices, including the human voice. The very limitations of sonority, duration of tone, dynamics and vibrancy, conducted to its eloquence. Now one heard a distant shadowy thrumming, from which a solo voice emerged, in dramatic recitative. Always the voice was a little subdued, a little ghostly, an echoing voice that might have sounded throughout the dust of the grave and the reveries of many ages. Ore there was spangled brilliancy and flicker, pride of race, pride of the body, the throb of the dance.

Over this music, so strangely tender, capricious, or melancholy, there crouched and pondered the bent bony of a rather plump man in spectacles, talking to himself with his instrument, remembering things that could be recalled in no other way, and alone, as it seemed, with his memories. It seemed that he rubbed his eyes as he rose slowly, a little absent-mindedly, a little apologetically, to bow to those who had listened to him from a thousand years away. In this performance was the simplicity of the savage, the sensibility of the patrician, the artist’s creative power.

A well-conceived foil to the performances of Mr. Segovia was the singing of Mr. Schindler’s chorus, and their program. the songs arranged from the music of various Spanish composers are in each case of exotic and distinctive beauty. The performance of the remarkable "Trois chansons" of Ravel—songs in the spiriti of the "Moyan Age," were a timely remembrance of the presence of that composer in this country, and further testimony to the extraordinary knowledge and imagination of his best art.

The theatre was packed. The concert gave exceptional pleasure to the audience.

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Packed Theatre Hears Segovia
NYT Jan 30 1928

The repertory of Andres Segovia, who made his third public appearance in New York yesterday afternoon in the Gallo Theatre, appears almost as extensive as his technique on his chosen instrument. He provided his audience yesterday with a program for the guitar which ranged all the way from Sor with his sonata back through Turina, Coste, Tschaikowsky, Ponce and Albeniz to Bach and Handel. Again the theatre was packed, and again Mr. Segovia, with an art personal and incomparable, exerted his sway.

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Segovia Plays to Crowded House

NYT Feb 16 1928

Andres de Segovia [sic], the distinguished guitarist of Spain, gave a final recital of the season in New York yesterday afternoon in Town Hall. As usual, the auditorium was crowded and Mr. Segovia played with his wonted mastery of poetry and conception. He was applauded to the echo and in response to the desire of the audience extended his program.