Abel Carlevaro
Encyclopedia
Abel Carlevaro was a virtuos performer, classical guitar
composer
and teacher
born in Montevideo
, Uruguay
. He established a new school of instrumental technique, incorporating a fresh approach to seating and playing the guitar, based on anatomical
principles.
He had a successful career as a concert artist and gained the admiration of musicians such as Heitor Villa-Lobos
and Andrés Segovia
. His performances in the important music centres of Europe
, Latin America
and the United States
were met with high acclaim by the public and critics alike.
Other contemporary ensembles of renown such as The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and The Kronos Quartet have also performed some of Carlevaro's works for the first time. His "Concierto del Plata" for guitar and orchestra has been interpreted by important European and American symphony orchestras.
The Carlevaro Technique & Carlevaro Guitar
A profound and dedicated teacher, Carlevaro was the creator of a new school of instrumental technique which was revolutionary in its understanding of posture, sound development, and general philosophy of music. This important contribution to the evolution of the guitar is expounded in his didactic series (the "Cuadernos"), "Escuela de la Guitarra Exposición de la Teoría Instrumental" (School of Guitar Exposition of Instrumental Theory) as well as in the "Carlevaro Masterclass" series. These pedagogical works, his composition
s and his transcription
s are edited by Boosey and Hawkes of New York
, Chanterelle Verlag of Heidelberg, Barry Editorial of Buenos Aires
and Henry Lemoine of Paris
.
An indefatigable researcher
, Carlevaro has also invented a new guitar
(Concert-Guitar Model "Carlevaro"), the conception and design of which break away from traditional guitar making. This special model of guitar was first built in 1983 by the Spanish luthier Manuel Contreras (father) in Madrid. The upper part of the sound box (on which the guitarists arm rests) was straight, while the bottom (that rests on the guitarist's leg) is curved as usual. The resulting soundboard resembled the shape of a grand piano. Carlevaro said that this shape improved the vibration of the lower notes.
This new guitar also had the normal round sound hole closed, having instead a thin "slot" (a sound-slot instead of a sound-hole) all around the curvature of top: The top is actually separated from the sides - the top is quasi-floating, and is held in place only by wooden pins from the sides. Thus the guitar consists of 2 quasi-disjoint parts (held together only by the wooden pins): a) the back and sides b) the top. Today the Model "Carlevaro Guitar" is made by Eberhard Kreul (from Erlbach, Germany; where there are many great luthiers).
When traveling abroad, Carlevaro was often invited to teach Master Classes, where in the course of a few consecutive days, students of all levels brought him their inquiries about technique, fingering, expression, or the like. Carlevaro invited participants to play the piece or section in question, and listened attentively. After the student's performance was over, he gave his opinion (most of the times an encouraging one) and his advice. On most occasions he also asked to try the guitar, examined it, tuned it, and then played the same piece or passage
again to the appreciation of participants and audience.
One of Carlevaro's "star pupils", as well as teaching assistant (1982–2000), was the classical guitarist Jad Azkoul, who also translated several of his works. In 1997, Carlevaro declared that Azkoul was his "genuine representative", as well as being a "great master teaching alongside" him.
Carlevaro continued teaching and performing until his last days. Famous guitarists like Eduardo Fernández. Baltazar Benítez, Alvaro Pierri, Roberto Aussel and others were his pupils. From Spain we can name Juan Luis Torres Román and Pompeyo Pérez Díaz, performer and musicologist author of the main academic book about Dionisio Aguado and the 19th century guitar.
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
born in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. He established a new school of instrumental technique, incorporating a fresh approach to seating and playing the guitar, based on anatomical
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
principles.
He had a successful career as a concert artist and gained the admiration of musicians such as Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian composer, described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the best-known and most significant Latin American composer to date. He wrote numerous orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works...
and Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
. His performances in the important music centres of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were met with high acclaim by the public and critics alike.
Career
Carlevaro was a devoted composer. His musical production ranges from his "Preludios Americanos", now established as part of the standard concert repertoire, to his "Concierto No 3 para Guitarra y Orquesta" composed by request of and played for the first time by The Chamber Symphony of San Francisco.Other contemporary ensembles of renown such as The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and The Kronos Quartet have also performed some of Carlevaro's works for the first time. His "Concierto del Plata" for guitar and orchestra has been interpreted by important European and American symphony orchestras.
The Carlevaro Technique & Carlevaro Guitar
A profound and dedicated teacher, Carlevaro was the creator of a new school of instrumental technique which was revolutionary in its understanding of posture, sound development, and general philosophy of music. This important contribution to the evolution of the guitar is expounded in his didactic series (the "Cuadernos"), "Escuela de la Guitarra Exposición de la Teoría Instrumental" (School of Guitar Exposition of Instrumental Theory) as well as in the "Carlevaro Masterclass" series. These pedagogical works, his composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
s and his transcription
Transcription (music)
In music, transcription can mean notating a piece or a sound which was previously unnotated, as, for example, an improvised jazz solo. Further examples include ethnomusicological notation of oral traditions of folk music, such as Béla Bartók's and Ralph Vaughan Williams' collections of the national...
s are edited by Boosey and Hawkes of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Chanterelle Verlag of Heidelberg, Barry Editorial of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and Henry Lemoine of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
An indefatigable researcher
Researcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
, Carlevaro has also invented a new guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(Concert-Guitar Model "Carlevaro"), the conception and design of which break away from traditional guitar making. This special model of guitar was first built in 1983 by the Spanish luthier Manuel Contreras (father) in Madrid. The upper part of the sound box (on which the guitarists arm rests) was straight, while the bottom (that rests on the guitarist's leg) is curved as usual. The resulting soundboard resembled the shape of a grand piano. Carlevaro said that this shape improved the vibration of the lower notes.
This new guitar also had the normal round sound hole closed, having instead a thin "slot" (a sound-slot instead of a sound-hole) all around the curvature of top: The top is actually separated from the sides - the top is quasi-floating, and is held in place only by wooden pins from the sides. Thus the guitar consists of 2 quasi-disjoint parts (held together only by the wooden pins): a) the back and sides b) the top. Today the Model "Carlevaro Guitar" is made by Eberhard Kreul (from Erlbach, Germany; where there are many great luthiers).
When traveling abroad, Carlevaro was often invited to teach Master Classes, where in the course of a few consecutive days, students of all levels brought him their inquiries about technique, fingering, expression, or the like. Carlevaro invited participants to play the piece or section in question, and listened attentively. After the student's performance was over, he gave his opinion (most of the times an encouraging one) and his advice. On most occasions he also asked to try the guitar, examined it, tuned it, and then played the same piece or passage
Section (music)
In music, a section is "a complete, but not independent musical idea". Types of sections include the introduction or intro, exposition, recapitulation, verse, chorus or refrain, conclusion, coda or outro, fadeout, bridge or interlude...
again to the appreciation of participants and audience.
One of Carlevaro's "star pupils", as well as teaching assistant (1982–2000), was the classical guitarist Jad Azkoul, who also translated several of his works. In 1997, Carlevaro declared that Azkoul was his "genuine representative", as well as being a "great master teaching alongside" him.
Carlevaro continued teaching and performing until his last days. Famous guitarists like Eduardo Fernández. Baltazar Benítez, Alvaro Pierri, Roberto Aussel and others were his pupils. From Spain we can name Juan Luis Torres Román and Pompeyo Pérez Díaz, performer and musicologist author of the main academic book about Dionisio Aguado and the 19th century guitar.
Publications
- Serie didáctica (Barry Editorial)
- Cuaderno N° 1 -Escalas Diatónicas
- Cuaderno N°2 -Técnica de la mano derecha
- Cuaderno N°3 -Técnica de la mano izquierda
- Cuaderno N°4 -Técnica de la mano Izq. Conclusión
- Numerous other publications are published/distributed by Chanterelle Verlag: 1 2
Recordings
- Carlevaro plays Carlevaro (CHR005, Chanterelle-Verlag)
- Recital de Musica Española (TE27CD, tacuabé)
- 20 microestudios (TE29CD, tacuabé)
- En vivo / 1 (TE37CD, tacuabé)
- Música popular del Río de la Plata (TE41CD, tacuabé)
- A Guitar Lesson with Abel Carlevaro DVD (ECH767DVD, Chanterelle-Verlag)
External links
- Article: "Who is Abel Carlevaro?"
- International Abel Carlevaro Festival "Guitar and Nature", Erlbach Germany
- Concert-Guitar Model "Carlevaro" from KREUL-Gitarren, Erlbach Germany
- Videos Youtube videos