HISTORICAL DICTIONARY A–Z - Spain and Portugal: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present - page 362

Segovia, Andrés (1893-1987)
Spanish musician
When Segovia began to study music, the
guitar was almost universally dismissed as a
vulgar popular instrument, suitable only
for entertainment in cafés. Although he
originally studied the piano and cello at the
music school in G RANADA , he could not be
diverted from his instinctive and passionate
love for the guitar. No suitable instructor
being available, he essentially taught him-
self to play the instrument. In so doing he
not only won respect for the guitar as a
serious instrument with potential for highly
refined musicality but also transcribed
works from the classical repertoire that had
originally been written for other instru-
ments. These transcriptions alone amounted
to 150 pieces, in addition to his original

the R ECONQUISTA . The walled city that
emerged from this period and the towering
cathedral are relics of its medieval impor-
tance as a seat of government. The fairy-
tale castle known as the Alcazar of Segovia,
is, however, the product of 19th-century
reconstructive fantasy after the original cit-
adel was destroyed by fire in 1862. In the
days when the sovereigns of C ASTILE resided
there, Segovia was the scene of such nota-
ble events as the formal recognition of I SA -
BELLA I as queen in 1474, the agreement
between her and her husband, F ERDINAND
V of A RAGON , as to the sharing of power,
and the revolt staged by leading citizens of
Segovia in 1477. The deposed mayor of
Segovia, Alonso Maldonado, and his ally,
the bishop, attempted to hold the daughter
of Isabella hostage while her mother was
away waging war on the Portuguese. Learn-
ing of this conspiracy, accompanied only by
two courtiers, she galloped the whole dis-
tance from Tordesillas to confront the reb-
els. The townspeople were so overawed by
the outraged mother that they deserted
their leaders, who fled from Segovia.
Segovia's proximity to Madrid caused its
subordination to the new capital and guar-
anteed that it would preserve a degree of
tranquillity. In the early 18th century the
Bourbon kings established a miniature
palace of Versailles in La Granja at San
Ildefonso, near Segovia. This served as
their summer residence for several genera-
tions. Segovia itself was sacked by the
French invaders during the P ENINSULAR
W AR and captured by the Nationalists dur-
ing the S PANISH CIVIL WAR . Spared the dev-
astation brought on so many quarters of
Spain during its violent modern history,
Segovia survives largely intact as an icon
of its past glories.

Andrés Segovia (Library of Congress)