2. 19th Century Guitar Methods: Ferdinand Pelzer's Instructions for the Spanish Guitar (1833)
by Daniel Nistico
by Daniel Nistico
Introduction
I hope you had a chance to check out Sidney Pratten's Guitar School, found in last week's email.
I would love to know if you enjoyed anything in particular, or found a certain section or exercise useful - please send me a message!
This weeks resource is a method book by Pratten's father Ferdinand Pelzer, which explains the picture of a young Pratten on the front cover.
If you want to skip all my fluffy commentary, please scroll down to the bottom to download the method book.
I hope you had a chance to check out Sidney Pratten's Guitar School, found in last week's email.
I would love to know if you enjoyed anything in particular, or found a certain section or exercise useful - please send me a message!
This weeks resource is a method book by Pratten's father Ferdinand Pelzer, which explains the picture of a young Pratten on the front cover.
If you want to skip all my fluffy commentary, please scroll down to the bottom to download the method book.
Ferdinand Pelzer's Instructions for the Spanish Guitar
This is a method book that I found recently, and like Pratten's method book, it's very fun to read through from cover to cover.
Pelzer (1801 - 1860) was born in Mülheim, Germany. He moved to England in 1829, and eventually became the editor of the Giulianiad - an early guitar journal. I am currently attempting to find digital copies of this journal, so if anyone knows where to find them, please let me know.
Wikipedia says that Pelzer "wrote many short compositions and arrangements for solo guitar as well as guitar accompaniments to popular songs." However, I have found several substantial pieces that are highly virtuosic.
I thought I would attach one example for you, titled Six Variations Brilliantes (click to download). Just a quick scan will show you the virtuosity contained in the piece. In the coming weeks I'll show you where to find scores like this in abundance.
This is a method book that I found recently, and like Pratten's method book, it's very fun to read through from cover to cover.
Pelzer (1801 - 1860) was born in Mülheim, Germany. He moved to England in 1829, and eventually became the editor of the Giulianiad - an early guitar journal. I am currently attempting to find digital copies of this journal, so if anyone knows where to find them, please let me know.
Wikipedia says that Pelzer "wrote many short compositions and arrangements for solo guitar as well as guitar accompaniments to popular songs." However, I have found several substantial pieces that are highly virtuosic.
I thought I would attach one example for you, titled Six Variations Brilliantes (click to download). Just a quick scan will show you the virtuosity contained in the piece. In the coming weeks I'll show you where to find scores like this in abundance.
Highlights
This method book has a beautiful introduction, which contains a unique and fascinating story about the guitar's history and evolution. Here's an excerpt:
"When introduced amongst the Spaniards by the Moors, it was a simple Instrument with four strings. Two others have since been added, by which it is rendered capable of expressing all those Concords and Discords which constitute Light and Shade of Music and of producing the most intricate Modulations through all the keys of the musical scale."
The book is divided into several sections. The first part deals mostly with keys; giving scales, chord progressions and short pieces in each one.
One unique exercise shows scales and chords written out enharmonically. This is done in several keys throughout the section.
This method book has a beautiful introduction, which contains a unique and fascinating story about the guitar's history and evolution. Here's an excerpt:
"When introduced amongst the Spaniards by the Moors, it was a simple Instrument with four strings. Two others have since been added, by which it is rendered capable of expressing all those Concords and Discords which constitute Light and Shade of Music and of producing the most intricate Modulations through all the keys of the musical scale."
The book is divided into several sections. The first part deals mostly with keys; giving scales, chord progressions and short pieces in each one.
One unique exercise shows scales and chords written out enharmonically. This is done in several keys throughout the section.
The book's second part begins on page 35 and rises up a notch in difficulty. One of my favorite exercises in this section sees scales in thirds, sixths, octaves and tenths - something I like practicing daily.
The third section begins on page 48, and is titled Graces and Ornaments of Expression (keyword expression!) This section is short, but contains some golden exercises!
One of Sor's popular studies is given, and Pelzer's advice on achieving the Etouffée effect is very useful indeed.
The final section contains a lovely collection of pieces by Sor, Agaudo, Giuliani, etc.
I hope this book brings you much enjoyment! Please remember that I'd love to hear about anything you found particularly useful or interesting about either method books!
Next week you will get another method book by Pelzer, totally written out by hand.
I hope this book brings you much enjoyment! Please remember that I'd love to hear about anything you found particularly useful or interesting about either method books!
Next week you will get another method book by Pelzer, totally written out by hand.