Museo Segovia  - Linares                                      (Photos by Maria Papadi)

I “got to know” Andrés Segovia, the same way all the people of my generation got to, indirectly: From his discography, his adaptations and the style of his performance which influenced (our) old teachers.
At the same time (the essential then, the presumed difficult today…) method of Emilio Pujol who was Tárrega’s student and significant tutor of Segovia, inevitably made all of us students of the Spanish school.
On the other hand, during the ’80s we saw the rising and development of the Latin-American school, with the prevalent method of Abel Carlevaro, the repertoire of composers like Barrios, Brouwer and others relatively “new” for us at that time, symbol figures today, and of course many exceptional soloists. With a different approach in sound, almost exclusively tirando playing, very folk colour (with its advantages and disadvantages), in Greece it was experienced as the “opposite” school.
Is it that Greeks always seek for competitors?
Is it that we like to easily and flimsily (like know-it-alls…) question everyone?
During the ’80s there was an intense questioning of Segovia on matters concerning his teaching, technique, adaptations and performances. At a point I shared this opinion that wanted him “old-fashioned”, which was partly justified in time.
But let’s not forget his huge contribution.
He introduced us to a repertoire which we don’t know if and when it would be discovered if it wasn’t for him.
He wandered around the world and recorded almost everything (everything he could at that time, of course).
He proclaimed the guitar a concert instrument, making more people love it and appreciate it.
He made many and important composers to enrich even a little its poor (in comparison with piano and violin) repertoire.
He created, in other words, not alone but as a main figure, a whole world of listeners, composers and performers of the guitar! He gave us a “home” to belong to. He may be outdated, but this is natural – even the greatest people in history become some day antiquated.
But we are not allowed to forget what we owe them.
Thank you, grandfather…

Nikos Panayiotidis

(April of 2007)