Sanz, Gaspar
- Robert Strizich
- , revised by Richard Pinnell
Extract
(b Calanda, Aragon, mid-17th century; d early 18th century). Spanish guitarist, composer, and priest. Early in his life he received a Bachelor of Theology degree from the University of Salamanca and later travelled to Italy, where he studied music under Cristoforo Caresana and Lelio Colista, and possibly also under Orazio Benevoli and Pietro Andrea Ziani. On returning to Spain he published not only his Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española but also two literary works: a Spanish translation of Daniello Bartoli’s L’uomo de lettere (Madrid, 1678) and a eulogy in praise of Pope Innocent XI entitled Ecos sagrados (Madrid, 1681).
Sanz’s Instrucción de música is the most comprehensive guitar treatise of its time. Comprising three books, it contains 90 pieces written for a five-course instrument tuned a/a–d′/d′–g/g–b/b–e′. Most of its pieces are based on dance forms, such as the ...
