Notes on the Program

This concert highlights the music of Paraguayan Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944), perhaps the greatest guitarist-composer born in Latin America. He was a pioneer of the instrument in the Americas, being the first guitarist to reach places where a classical guitar had never previously been heard in a concert hall. Through his guitar, he elicited music without any geographical boundaries, composing in genres typical of the country he was visiting. His music shows a unique mixture of classical and folkloric styles characteristic of each region.

Barrios understood that music has no borders and that there is room for every voice within a guitar. He was a great improviser who could write a Chôro (a Brazilian popular music form) as well as a Cueca or a Zamba (lively dances of South America) as flawlessly as he could write a Paraguayan polka. His music was an inspiration for various, diverse legendary guitarists, such as Argentinean Atahualpa Yupanqui (1908-1992). The Police’s Andy Summers expressed his admiration for Barrios’ music and Steve Vai recorded his music with fellow guitarist Sharon Isbin. The Brazilian duo Indios Tabajaras modeled their artistic image after Barrios 

During his lifelong tour, Barrios created an alter ego for himself. Going by the name Nitsuga (Agustín spelled backwards) Mangoré he performed concerts in this persona from 1930 to 1934, dressed in the garb of a Guarani Indian chief. It was an act of blatant rebellion against the contemporary norms of the refined circles of classical music, and one which earned him fierce criticism from the jealous guardians of the international code of concert etiquette. From a 21st-century perspective, Barrios’ behavior is indicative of his audacious nature, especially gifted at calling attention to his unique art as a musician. 

A tireless traveler, Barrios left Paraguay on a journey that took him to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, French Guiana and Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba. He died in El Salvador in 1944. 

This journey was retraced by Paquito D’Rivera and Berta Rojas during 2011-2012 in a project they called In the Footsteps of Mangoré, aiming to bring his music back to the countries he visited. D’Rivera and Rojas performed together for the first time in Argentina in 2011, ending the journey in El Salvador. In addition to the tour, they recorded the album A Day and a Half, which was nominated for the 2012 Latin Grammy as Best Instrumental album.