Adelita and Lágrima
Adelita and Lágrima, beautiful miniatures by guitarist and composer Francisco Tárrega, are cornerstones of the classical guitar repertoire. While they may be small in stature, they are giants in the classical guitar world. What gives these pieces so much power is their emotional pull. It is amazing how much expression they pack into only a handful of measures of music.
Easy?
Many guitarists classify these pieces as “easy” or even “beginner” pieces of music. But in truth they are only deceptively easy. It is true that Tarrega’s miniatures remain simple in their harmony, in the balance of voicing, and in the rhythms and textures. However, managing voices and allowing the melody to truly sing without allowing technical difficulties to disrupt the music make these very challenging pieces and not at all “beginner” music.
All about the Details
For instance, in Lágrima to allow the upper voice to sing you have to be careful about right-hand balance to ensure the thumb does not overpower the line and that the middle voice (a repeated drone B on the second string) is also sufficiently quiet. While in Adelita it is important to allow all of the little grace notes and glissandos to be nice and light and not distract from the melody line — even when those grace notes are attached to tricky barre chords and the use of the pinky in the left hand.
At the end of the day, even the simplest pieces can be the most challenging to play. Not only are you more exposed with simple textures and harmonies and polyphony, but as a result you are also more responsible for quality of sound, balance of voices, maintaining evenness of notes in a line, phrasing…and more.
That is why these gems of the repertoire may seem fairly easy at first glance, but in truth they can be some of the most challenging pieces to play well. I’ve added my own performances below for you to listen to. I hope you enjoy my performances of these two giants of the classical guitar repertoire: both equally easy to learn, but difficult to truly master.
Beautiful tone and dynamics!
Wonderful Simon!
By the way, Are you apply something on your nails to keep them strong? And what about hand cream before playing? I’d like to hear you about this.
Best from France.
Beautifully played; thank you. Just an added thought: When I consider practicing a piece, I ask myself what is the meaning of the title? Does the title guide us in any way toward a better understanding of a composition? Why “Lagrima”? Is it a sad or happy lagrima? Does it relate to someone special; who? Mom, dad, brother, girlfriend, wife, daughter, etc.? Is there a story behind the title? Allegros and adagios we know but, Lagrima? The same pondering over “Adelita”; is Adelita a child or??? So many analyses start with ‘harmonic progression’ or ‘melodic line’ and seldom or never address the title. I did some research on “La Tarantella” and finally realized why the ending seemed rather weak. As I have absolutely no credentials in music, my comments are “just a thought”. Thank you, again, for sharing your interpretations of both compositions.
Walking in a park in Newark NJ we happened upon this gentleman playing Adelita and we were so moved we danced haha much to his delight! Haha
https://youtu.be/q_0LuXNwcV8
I would like you play my music. You are Very good.
I love these two interpretations.
Dear Simon; I have heard both pieces played by many guitarists over the last fifty-four years and your’s is by far the most musical of all of them. You are not just a guitarists but a sensitive and superlative musician. Peter
LÁGRIMA: Do you have the study guide with TABs?
I know I must study “note” formats but I’m using a “crutch” TAB notations to play this piece. I received the gift from Simon? with “notes” but, not having any formal music background, my reading of notes stops me to figure all the notes on each staff! Maybe I’ll have enough life @ 80 to finally learn note notations🥴‼️