1st part - Special edition - Abel Carlevaro Centenary (1916-2001)

The guitar is like water that takes the shape to any container. (Carlevaro, 1997, Violão Intercâmbio Review)

To diffuse this beautiful consideration of the Uruguayan guitarist and composer Abel Carlevaro, we will appreciate two compositions for solo guitar made by him: Preludio Americano 3 - Campo and Intermezzo from Cronomías I.

Here, some points to consider about Preludio Americano 3:

Title: bringing together the substantive Prelude to the adjective American already suggests a proposal – borders dilution: Old and New Worlds would finishing their merge through Art, the form of the Prelude in the Campo atmosphere, the territory, the Latin American landscape in focus; there is no paradox, but rather an amalgam – popular way in academia, the cult in popular, and done by someone who admired both contexts.

Sonorousness: the acceptance of dissonance as compositional procedure, in such a popular instrument, it isn’t an easy task, because the tradition tends to have expectations, e.g., figuring out harmony with perfect chords, however Campo has a freer presentation, with open strings, including. Nevertheless, the composition doesn’t leave at once consonances or functions. This mix procedure meets the great and innovative Poetics reference of the twentieth century for guitar, which is the repertoire of Heitor Villa-Lobos, whom Carlevaro has had always great affinity, performing many premieres of Brazilian composer and expressing admiration, paying homage to him with several guitar works. Remembering, Campo still was made in the 50s of the twentieth century, it means, Carlevaro was on novelties ground before many works from revolutionaries 60s.

Bach: The Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 to organ was the reference to Preludio theme (bass line), causing an immediate association, but soon new ideas will develop over the work; still keeping an inclination for polyphony in two voices. Again the mixture, now in deliberate super positioned temporalities, an impression of Baroque in Modernism, something very common to being Latin American.

Cronomías I is a sonata, composed in 1971, these interesting compositional procedures have promoted innovations for the instrument language. The Intermezzo is the second part of this sonata.

Here, some ideas from Intermezzo:

Series: the work is generated from the twelve-tone series

Indications: a text with performance instructions is required in Cronomías I, because new graphisms and traditional notation are present.

Timbres: a search for timbres was something fundamental to Carlevaro; he used to get timbristic differences in centimetres on the guitar, including by comparisons between resulting sounds and orchestral instruments (as I witnessed it in his masterclass). At Intermezzo, this idea is strong.

Percussion on the guitar body: this effect appears in the introduction of Intermezzo and will be the final of the work. Playing the soundboard with fingers still is a taboo for many interpreters of the classical context while in the contemporary it becomes much more usual.

Oscillation in Note Pitches: kind of stronger vibrato trying displacement of note pitches (temperament) on the note indicated.

Independent melodies by right and left hands: one of the most interesting effects, for its efficiency and beauty, is the passage in which the left hand starts a trill while the right does a melody in natural harmonics; this idea is presented at the beginning and recapitulation of Intermezzo. It is a delight to hear, see and play this simple plan, however so efficient.

Carlevaro is commonly associated with great didactic works on the guitar; he defended true thesis to the solution of anatomical and technical issues, aiming longevity in performance and, above all, a full interpretation on instrument. He knew how to make his way in the world of music and his relationship with Villa-Lobos made him a habitué of Brazil, such honour to us, and then he has changed the course of many guitarists here, including new generations after this contact. As a guitarist, his performances are so touching and such pioneer; since he understood the valorous work of Agustín Barrios until to his performance and creation in the contemporary environment.

Texts and more about Carlevaro:

Marcelo Fernandes Pereira - Master's Thesis: The guitaristic School of Abel Carlevaro, School of Communication and Arts, University of São Paulo, in 2003.

Alfredo Escande - Abel Carlevaro - un nuevo mundo en la guitarra. Montevideo: Aguilar, 2005.

Alfredo Escande - YouTube channel with videos and Radio program about Carlevaro

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtdPAgh5kHmWTQWK1YZeezg