Sanz, Gaspar (EN)

Sanz Gaspar, born Francisco Bartolomé Sanz Celma, *baptised 4 April 1640 Calanda (Aragon), †1710 Madrid, Spanish guitarist and composer. Following his studies in theology at the University of Salamanca, he studied music in Naples under C. Caresana, then in Rome under L. Colista and probably O. Benevoli and P.A. Ziani. After returning to Spain, he unsuccessfully sought a position as professor of music at the University of Salamanca; he became guitar teacher to Juan José de Austria, the illegitimate son of Philip IV. In 1674, he published Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española (ed. R. de Zayas, Madrid 1985) in Zaragoza, one of the best-written and most frequently reprinted guitar instruction books (8 editions by 1697). It consists of three books; book 1 presents the principles of tuning a five-string guitar with two bass strings tuned an octave higher, the basics of harmony, the principles of basso continuo and examples of the rasgueado (strummed) and punteado (plucked) styles written in two different tablatures; the remaining books contain 90 pieces, including dances such as villano, folia, canario and espanioleta, their doubles and variations based on a fixed bass. Sanz’s work became a model for similar publications by R. De Ribayaza and S. de Murci, which also included arrangements of his works. Sanz’s dances were also used by J. Rodrigo in his Fantasía para un gentilhombre from 1954.

Literature: R. de Zayas Gaspar Sanz and his Music, “Guitar Review” XL, 1976; D. García Fraile Gaspar Sanz. catedrático frustrado de la Universidad de Salamanca w: De musica hispana et aliis, ed. E. Casares Rodicio, C. Villanueva Abelairas, Santiago de Compostella 1990; C.L. García Gallardo Aportaciones de la Instrucción de música de G.S. a la teoría de la armonía, “Revista aragonesa de musicología” XXXI, 2015; A. Sánchez Serrano El pasacalle en la Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española de Gaspar Sanz (1640–ca. 1710), “Revista de musicología” XXXVIII, 2015; P. San Nicasio Ramos Los Canarios: Gaspar Sanz y mucho, muchísimo más, “Excelentia: Música & arte” 2024 nos. 38–39.