Historic Guitar Luthier Antonio De Torres Documentary
Antonio De Torres Father of the Spanish Guitar Documentary
Produced by luthier John Vergara with the Heritage Soundcraft Institute.
Guitarist Dan Garcia performing Sor Etude in E minor Op. 6, No. 11 on Vergara guitar.
Produced by luthier John Vergara with the Heritage Soundcraft Institute.
Guitarist Dan Garcia performing Sor Etude in E minor Op. 6, No. 11 on Vergara guitar.
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MusicTranscript
00:30Who was Antonio de Torres?
00:40What were his contributions to the instrument?
00:53When you think of the guitar, what do you picture?
00:56Are the images of your favourite guitar players conjured in your mind?
01:02Chuck Berry?
01:05The Beatles?
01:08Bob Dylan?
01:11Andrea Segovia?
01:14Jimi Hendrix?
01:18How about Metallica?
01:25The etymology for the word guitar is one that should be looked into.
01:29In Farsi or Persian language, the word for the number four is chaha and string is ta.
01:36Combined, it's chata or chatara.
01:40Certainly there is a plethora of early instruments in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa
01:45containing very similar names for various instruments, many with four strings.
01:51We will be more focused on the development of the guitar in Spain, as the most meaningful
01:55changes occurred there in the Iberian Peninsula.
01:59It was in Spain that the guitar had a slow evolution over the years to get to what is
02:03recognisable to us today and where the instrument is innately intertwined with the culture.
02:09The guitar as we know today was largely developed in Spain, spanning over several periods.
02:16More specifically, we will be focused on the developments of one maker in particular,
02:21a renowned guitar maker named Antonio de Torres Jurado, who had a profound impact on the modern
02:27guitar as we know it.
02:29Although the guitar has also been developed by various makers in Europe and beyond, the
02:33instrument has become a symbol of Spanish culture.
02:37The Spanish poet and Nobel Vicente Alesandra remarked, the guitar is the soul of Spain.
02:44Flamenco guitar maestro Paco de Lucia said, the soul of Spain sings through every strum
02:50of the guitar.
02:52Federico GarcĂa Lorca mentions the guitar in several of his poems.
02:58Having a long deep history, the guitar had many stages of evolution through many luthiers
03:03to arrive at the point where it is today.
03:07During the 16th century, the Portuguese craftsman Belchior Dias, working within the Spanish
03:12borders, set the stage for the guitar's intrinsic connection to the Iberian Peninsula.
03:18His innovations in shaping the vihuela, a precursor to the guitar, laid the foundation
03:24for an instrument that would become synonymous with the rich musical heritage of Spain.
03:30This instrument was made in 1590 and contained five double strings, which was the standard
03:35in that period.
03:37Thomas Duran of Seville, so far, is the only known luthier to have made a guitar in the
03:43Baroque period, to include the maker's information, name, location and date of 1684.
03:51Francisco Sanguino of Seville seems to be an early pioneer of adding a sixth string
03:56to the instrument, as shown here on a 1770 guitar.
04:01Perhaps he was one of the first to standardise this configuration.
04:06The Guerra family should be considered in the study of guitars, for apart from making
04:10beautiful six-course guitars in 1798 in this example, they also were involved in the export
04:17business of these instruments to Spain's colonies, such as Cuba in the New World.
04:23The Pagès dynasty, started by Juan Sr. and later by his son, José, made some interesting
04:29developments in the guitar's evolution.
04:32They were a part of the Cadiz school of making.
04:35Juan Pagès had enlarged the body to a more modern size, also some experimentation with
04:41internal bracings resembling our modern bracing system today.
04:46Their guitars were favoured by the best guitarists in that period, such as Fernando Sor and Dionisio
04:51Aguado.
04:53José Pernas is of the Granada school of making.
04:57In the Granada fashion, the headstock is a carved scroll, narrow body and other features
05:02tying it to that local tradition.
05:05José Pernas is important in the scene because it is believed that he might have taught Torres.
05:11Interestingly, in 1860, a guitar by Pernas seems to have taken a page from Torres' book,
05:17showing many of the designs Torres would become famous for in an interesting exchange between
05:22the two masters.
05:26Antonio de Torres Jurado
05:29Antonio de Torres Jurado was born on June 13th, 1817, in La Cañada de San Urbano, AlmerĂa, Spain.
05:39Torres was a true innovator, a pioneer in his craft.
05:43His work reshaped the very essence of the guitar.
05:46He is the maker who invented the modern Spanish guitar that we still use today.
05:50Having drawn from his predecessors before him, he played a critical role in the guitar's
05:55development, arguably even affecting the outcome of the modern-day steel-string acoustic
06:00guitar and even the electric guitar.
06:06From his humble beginnings, his journey would lead him down a path of artistry and innovation,
06:11a path that would forever change the world of music.
06:15The town of AlmerĂa, with its whitewashed buildings and winding cobbled streets, provided
06:20a vibrant backdrop for young Antonio's early years.
06:25As a young boy, he was surrounded by the sights and sounds of his Andalusian heritage,
06:30a place where music and art were woven into the fabric of daily life.
06:35This exposure ignited a spark in him, a fascination with the instrument's intricate details and
06:41the sound it could produce.
06:43Little did he know that this fascination would transform into a lifelong passion and a profound
06:48impact on the world of music.
06:51In the charming streets of his youth, a young boy's fascination with guitars began to shape
06:56his destiny.
06:57Torres's early life was modest, filled with the simple pleasures of Andalusian culture.
07:03His family, though not involved in guitar-making, fostered an environment rich in the traditions
07:09of their region.
07:10The lively melodies of local musicians filled their home, and young Antonio was entranced
07:16by the music of his heritage.
07:19Though an ideal picturesque setting for a luthier, his early adulthood was postmarked
07:23with a series of hardships.
07:31The year 1834 at 17, he was drafted into the army to fight in the Carlist's wars, but
07:37discharged due to health reasons.
07:40A year later, at 18 years old, he hastily wedded his first wife, Juana MarĂa LĂłpez,
07:47perhaps in a stint to avoid being drafted again due to the fact that single men and
07:52widowers without dependents were vulnerable for military duty.
07:56The following year saw the birth of his first child, a daughter, MarĂa Dolores.
08:02By this time, he is already a member of the Carpenter's Guild, and suffers a humiliating
08:07experience when debt collectors confiscate from him some fine chairs, a table, and even
08:13his best quality saw due to inability to pay.
08:18Not long after this episode, his second daughter is born, but dies the very next year.
08:24Only three years after the passing of his second daughter, tragically, he also experiences
08:29the death of his wife to tuberculosis.
08:32She was just twenty-three years of age when she passed.
08:35These succession of traumatic experiences became the motivation for Torres to relocate,
08:41for at the time of his wife's death, he resided in the provincial town of Vera due
08:45to perhaps a temporary investment venture, which he did see profit from in the silver
08:50mining business.
08:52Apart from the recent tragedies that befallen him, Vera is a town with limited resources
08:57and opportunities, as his business there also seemed to dry up.
09:02Shortly after his wife's death, he relocated to Seville.
09:11Seville is the capital of Andalusia, and one of the most populated cities in Spain.
09:16While providing more opportunities for Torres, it would have also been an important and stimulating
09:21location for a curious craftsman wanting to hone skills in the luthiery department.
09:29Seville was a town that was made rich from the New World exhibitions.
09:33It was also a hub of culture.
09:35There would have been a plethora of poets, artists, artisans, musicians, luthiers, and
09:41more importantly, wood merchants active in the city.
09:45Torres likely also shared a shop with other makers such as Manuel Gutierrez and or Soto
09:51Isolares.
09:53It would be the atmosphere of collective innovation mainly in Seville that would propel Torres's
09:58work to the next level.
10:01We are not certain exactly when and where he constructed his first guitar.
10:06When trying to discover the works of Antonio de Torres, there are some issues.
10:11One great source is from luthier José Romanillos himself, who authored an invaluable book entitled
10:17Antonio de Torres Guitar Maker, His Life and Works.
10:21It also should be noted that there had been a few attempts of counterfeiting Torres guitars.
10:27One example is from a famous Barcelona maker, Enrique Garcia, whom himself did not counterfeit
10:34guitars.
10:35Guitar shops in France at the turn of the century advertised Torres guitars in limited
10:40quantities and took the work of Enrique Garcia himself and swapped labels using a counterfeit
10:46Torres label.
10:47JosĂ© RamĂrez, founder of the RamĂrez dynasty himself, also was known to forge a mock Torres
10:53label but perhaps for the purpose to prove that the work was his.
10:59Players often boasted of the Torres mystique to try a Torres guitar in the shop of RamĂrez
11:04to then praise the instrument.
11:06RamĂrez would then take the guitar and remove the label, showing them it was in fact his
11:12guitar.
11:14This was done to prove a point that he was as capable or more than the great master which
11:18preceded him.
11:20Antonio de Torres' earliest known surviving work was made in the year 1852.
11:26This instrument demonstrated some features of that style.
11:30Here he fashions the scroll-shaped headstock and proportions of the body, all of which
11:36are characteristics of the Granada school.
11:39Clearly this instrument doesn't represent the maturity that would come in Torres'
11:43later years but still shows remarkable aptitude and promise in his craftsmanship.
11:49A noteworthy guitar of Torres is known as La Leona or the Lioness, F-E-0-4, is a very
11:56important work.
11:58He uses Spanish cypress for the sides and back.
12:01The guitar also features the fan bracing which he will remain loyal to throughout his life.
12:06Torres installs a tournevoz in this instrument.
12:09Tournevoz might be the one thing that Torres actually invented.
12:13Tournevoz, literally meaning turn voice, is a cone-shaped Helmholtz resonator fixed to
12:19the inside rim of the sound hole.
12:22The intention behind this part is to enhance the projection of the sound.
12:26The bridge lacks a movable saddle on this particular instrument, however, here he uses
12:31a now standard 650mm scale length and the body also has modern dimensions.
12:38It is known that Torres lent this instrument to maestro guitarist Julian Arcas but never
12:44sold it to anyone and remained in his possession until his death.
12:49After his death there were various inquiries for this instrument, however, it was not known
12:54to his daughter as La Leona and in fact she hadn't known any guitar by this name.
13:00The name they were familiar with in regards to this guitar was La Fea or the Ugly.
13:06This might be due to the fact that it was relatively plain in regards to ornamentations.
13:12The Duke of Montpensier who resided in the Palace of San Telmo in Seville was an important
13:17patron to the arts, particularly in music, holding many concerts in the city.
13:23In the year 1858 there was an exhibition in Seville hosted by the Royal Duke.
13:28In this competition Torres was awarded a bronze medal for his efforts in a particularly ornate
13:34guitar known as Fe08 or by name given by some notable players at the time as La Guitara
13:41Cumbre or the Supreme Guitar.
13:45The outcome of this competition would have also likely solidified his place as a guitar
13:49maker and offered a prestige status as this afforded him the title Don before his first
13:55name.
13:57The guitar had a considerable amount of intricate marquetry of the meander pattern and herringbone
14:02running through the back, sides and headstock of the instrument showing his level of mastery
14:07and skill.
14:09It also featured birdseye maple or Ojo de Pajaro, a tournevoz and modern dimensions.
14:16The 1859 Fe09 guitar is important due to the fact that it belonged to prestigious guitarist
14:23Miguel Jobet.
14:25More simple in design, not having any special inlays and having imported Brazilian rosewood
14:30back and sides, it also featured a tournevoz.
14:34Another feature on this guitar worth mentioning is the fact that the outer two fan braces
14:39pass under an opening carved from the lower harmonic bar, extending further into the soundboard,
14:46perhaps a true experimental innovation by Torres himself.
14:50Miguel Jobet used this instrument extensively through his career and more interestingly
14:55even recorded with it.
14:57German luthier Hermann Hauser seems to have used the rosette on this guitar in many of
15:02his works.
15:05The papier-mâché guitar 1862 Fe14 is a fascinating study into the acoustic aspect of the guitar
15:14as well as the function of the soundboard.
15:17Torres built this guitar with papier-mâché sides and back, while the soundboard being
15:22of his standard 7-fan braced design.
15:26The purpose of this was to demonstrate how important the soundboard is for acoustic output
15:31and how cheap or inferior materials for the back and sides play less of a role acoustically.
15:37Having been repaired multiple times due to the soft nature of the papier-mâché, the
15:42guitar today is not in a playable state but resides in the Museum of Barcelona.
15:49In 1868 Torres would wed his second wife, Josefa Martin, at the El Salvador church close
15:56to his home.
15:57Piano guitarist Julian Arcas was his best man at the wedding.
16:02To Josefa, his first son Teodoro, Isabel and Antonio, his second son, were born out of
16:07wedlock.
16:08In 1872 another daughter Matilda would be born and in 1876 his youngest daughter Ana
16:15would be born to Josefa.
16:18Arguably one of the most important moments in Torres' career would be that related
16:23to Francisco Tarrega's first visit to his shop in 1868.
16:28This could also be marked as one of the most important things to happen to Spanish guitar
16:32music.
16:33Already an incredible talent, the relatively unknown Tarrega was just seventeen when he
16:38travelled from Barcelona to Torres' shop in Seville looking for a worthy guitar to
16:43suit his growing abilities.
16:46Ironically, the first guitar handed to Tarrega was not a particularly worthy one because
16:51shortly upon hearing Tarrega play, Torres stops him and hands him a more significant
16:57instrument.
16:58This would be a 1864 instrument known as F.E. 17 which was Torres' personal guitar.
17:07Tarrega would play this instrument for twenty years and would shape the music he wrote and
17:12even how he played the guitar.
17:15Tarrega, being a habitual chain smoker, left his mark in the form of cigarette burns on
17:20the sides of the guitar after many years of use.
17:24Guitarist Emilio Pujol regarded this instrument as the greatest sound he heard, the basses
17:29and trebles matching.
17:31Even virtuoso Miguel Llobé remarked that his and Tarrega's guitar are the best sounds
17:36available, but he preferred Tarrega's guitar over his own.
17:42The late 1860s was a particularly challenging time for Spain.
17:46An agricultural crisis, as well as a war for Cuban independence in 1868, followed by
17:52a revolution in the same year ensured a depression for the economy.
17:57It might be for these reasons that compelled Torres to leave Seville for Almeria in 1869.
18:04It's likely that due to the inability to produce sufficient income from the guitar-making business
18:08in this climate led to the Torres family to establish a more stable income via a retail
18:15china business with his wife.
18:18He does however continue to make some guitars in this period.
18:24However after 15 years of marriage, Josefa's life is tragically claimed by cancer.
18:45The loss of his wife was not a defeat for Torres.
18:52In fact, this event strangely led to Torres nearly doubling his output of guitars per
18:57year from roughly 6 to 12.
19:00It seems that in the flamenco guitar world, Torres might have also sparked the development
19:05of the art form for having made more affordable guitars for gypsies or for those who couldn't
19:10afford his more superior work.
19:13These guitars were made from locally sourced wood such as Spanish cypress sides and back
19:18often with knots, sometimes unmatching pieces of spruce.
19:23Five internal fan bracings instead of seven, cedar neck, traditional style friction pegs
19:29for tuning instead of tuning machines which were more expensive.
19:34This style of guitar is now known as flamenca blanca or white flamenco due to the light
19:40colour of the cypress sides and back compared to rosewood or mahogany.
19:45Although Torres did produce many guitars in this fashion, one such instrument was made
19:50in 1889 known as SE-126.
19:55An important business trip to Barcelona 1884 to 1885 was one of networking and promotion.
20:02This trip did in fact yield to him some new orders from Catalan guitarists.
20:07Carrega and Jobet were in fact Catalan artists and by this time Torres would have had a name
20:14there as a prestigious Andalusian guitar maker, perhaps more capable than makers in the north
20:19at that time.
20:21Here in Barcelona Torres did construct some instruments having stayed within the house
20:26of Federico Cano, a friend and guitarist whose son was a pupil of Dionisio Aguado.
20:34Torres might have been deterred from returning to Almeria for some time due to an outbreak
20:38of cholera in Almeria and other areas nearby in Andalusia.
20:43It is here Torres might have constructed a guitar with eleven strings, to which he made
20:48about four that we are aware of throughout his career.
20:52Known as SE-83 from 1885, this guitar has seven fan bracings, including two diagonal
20:59braces.
21:00The first seven strings are frettable and the remaining four strings overhang the fretboard
21:05much like that of Baroque lutes with particular configurations and definitely like that of
21:10theorbos.
21:12Facing his twilight years and decay, Torres befriended a local priest around 1887.
21:19Juan Martinez Cervent was someone whom Torres would utilise to help fulfil guitar orders,
21:24for in this period he lost much of the steadiness in his hands necessary to carry out delicate
21:30work.
21:31Sadly, it came to a point where he wasn't even able to sign his own signature.
21:36It is little known what kind of woodworking background this priest had, but it must have
21:41been sufficient to help Torres carry out the precision work needed to assemble a guitar
21:46for he still had to provide for at least one or two of his daughters, and of course, himself.
21:52It is in 1892, at 75 years of age, that Torres finally succumbs to intestinal catarrh as
21:59stated on his death certificate.
22:01His death was lamented in his town, a thoughtful tribute was written on Torres by a local paper.
22:07Torres, having more debts than assets, had the remaining guitars of Torres at the end
22:12of his second epoch show some discrepancies that are a mystery and remain unexplained,
22:18possibly due to the fact that he left many instruments unfinished and either the priest
22:23Juan Martinez Cervent or someone else completed them.
22:27There seems to be issues with many labels either not having the correct location or
22:32the correct street or the correct number written in them.
22:35Some of the bracing schemes are different from Torres.
22:39Although Torres didn't seem to invent much other than the tournevos and the bracing method
22:43of struts passing under the harmonic bar, his understanding of combining all the important
22:49design elements of the seven-strut fan bracing system, wider and longer body dimensions,
22:55650mm scale string length, and the movable saddling on the bridge was the winning recipe
23:01for his success.
23:04And for that we have our modern classical guitar, and even our modern flamenco guitar.
23:10Antonio de Torres' profound influence extended beyond the realm of guitar craftsmanship,
23:16setting the stage for a transformative era in the classical guitar's journey.
23:21His groundbreaking work not only revolutionised the design of the instrument but also paved
23:26the way for subsequent generations of guitarists and composers to navigate the musical landscape
23:32of the 20th century and beyond.
23:35Notably, Torres' innovative contributions played a crucial role in empowering guitarists
23:41like Miguel Llobet and Francisco Tárrega, enabling them to carry the torch of classical
23:46guitar artistry into a new century.
23:50The enduring legacy of Torres resonates not only in the timeless beauty of his instruments
23:55but also the future generations of guitar makers and players alike.
24:02So what is the guitar?
24:04What has it become?
24:06As a result of the artisan's contributing to its development, the guitar became one
24:11of the most versatile instruments.
24:13For the Spanish and classical guitar, it became a small instrument, capable of mimicking the
24:19piano and even orchestras due to polyphonic abilities, sometimes being the preferred version
24:24of a piece written for piano.
24:27The guitar became a suitable means of expression for Spanish music, classical, country music,
24:33jazz, blues, rock and roll, heavy metal and much more.
24:37The guitar is a symbol of Western culture.
24:41Without it, we lose a large portion of our identity.
24:44Without it, we would be a different people.