Narciso Yepes
Narciso Yepes was one of the finest virtuoso classical guitarists of the twentieth century, generally ranked second after Andrés Segovia. Despite a strong interest in music from the Baroque period, his overwhelming preference was for the serious compositions of Spanish composers from the early twentieth century, though he also showed interest in flamenco music. He displayed a special fondness for the works of Joaquín Rodrigo and was instrumental in the rediscovery of many previously neglected Baroque compositions. He also achieved distinction as a composer, especially in the realm of film music.
Narciso Yepes was born in the small town of Marchena, Spain, located near Lorca. He showed musical talent in his pre-school years, prompting his peasant father to give him his first guitar when he was only four. He soon played with great proficiency and his father arranged for young Narciso to take lessons in guitar and solfeggio in Lorca from Jesús Guevara. Yepes enrolled at the Valencia Conservatory at age 13 and was instructed (though not in guitar) by composer/pianist Vicente Asencio. He gave his first public performance in Valencia at the Teatro Serrano, then returned with his family to Lorca. There he played for Ataulfo Argenta, conductor of the Spanish National Orchestra, who was so impressed by his skills that he convinced Yepes to travel to Madrid to launch his career. There, the young guitarist met some of the most influential musicians in the country, including Joaquín Rodrigo, who had completed his guitar masterpiece, the Concierto de Aranjuez, several years earlier. Yepes found the work most attractive and decided to play it for his official concert debut in 1947, for which he was partnered with Argenta, who led the Orquesta de Cámara. His further performances of the work during the early years of his career are now seen as crucial to the current popularity of the Rodrigo concerto. Yepes' concerts were well-received and he quickly became one of the most highly regarded guitarists in Spain. He gave a successful tour of Europe in 1948 -- with notable success in Geneva, Switzerland -- then two years later relocated to Paris for further study with George Enescu and Walter Gieseking. He also spent time with Nadia Boulanger, though apparently never became a student. Yepes wrote and performed the music for the 1952 film Jeux interdits, which garnered awards at Cannes, Venice, and Hollywood. Yepes met his wife -- who was of Polish origin -- in Paris, and they were married in 1958. Their union produced three children, one of whom, Ignacio, became a conductor, and another, Ana, a choreographer with the Paris Opera. In the 1960s, Yepes was especially active as both a guitar soloist and composer. He achieved acclaim for his score of the 1961 film La fille aux yeux d'or. In 1964, Yepes developed and thereafter played a ten-string guitar, which he asserted was superior to the six-stringed guitar especially in the realm of the transcription. In the 1970s and 1980s, Yepes remained active in all facets of his career, but made fewer concert appearances. He received many awards during this period, including an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Murcia, and various artistic, radio, and television citations. In 1980, he made his highly praised recording of the Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by García Navarro. In 1993, Yepes was forced to sharply curtail his concert activity owing to his declining health. He gave his final concert in Santander, Spain, in 1996.
© TiVo
Similar artists
-
J.S. Bach: Works For Lute
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Sep 1973
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Masters of the Spanish Guitar: Narciso Yepes (2019 Remaster)
Classical - Released by Jube Classic on 7 Jun 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rendezvous With Narciso Yepes
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Apr 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Narciso Yepes: Best Baroque Recordings
Classical - Released by UME - Global Clearing House on 25 Jul 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jeux interdits (Arr. N. Yepes for Guitar)
Classical - Released by Artemisia on 15 Jul 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Guitar Music Of Five Centuries
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Nov 1982
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez - de Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain
Narciso Yepes, Gonzalo Soriano, National Orchestra of Spain
Classical - Released by Past Classics on 2 Jan 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Torroba & Bacarisse: Guitar Works
Narciso Yepes, La Orquesta Filarmonía de España, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Classical - Released by Artemisia on 17 Jul 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi, Ohana & J.S. Bach: Guitar Works (Remastered 2023)
Narciso Yepes, Orquesta Nacional De España, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Odon Alonso
Classical - Released by Artemisia on 1 Dec 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Beginning of a Legend, Vol. 4
Narciso Yepes, Cuarteto Clásico de Madrid, Orquesta Nacional De España, Odon Alonso
Chamber Music - Released by IDIS on 11 Jan 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Presenting Narciso Yepes
Lounge - Released by Universal Digital Enterprises on 27 Jan 1953
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Musique espagnole pour guitare (Mono Version)
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Masters of the Spanish Guitar: Narciso Yepes – The Second Recital (2019 Remaster)
Narciso Yepes, Cuarteto Clásico de Radio Nacional de Madrid
Classical - Released by Jube Classic on 15 Nov 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Recital (Remastered)
Classical - Released by Homokord on 1 Jan 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concierto de Aranjuez
Narciso Yepes, Odon Alonso, Spanish R.T.V. Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La Guitarra de España
World - Released by Fonal Music on 30 Sep 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Concierto de Aranjuez - Fantasia para un gentilhombre
Narciso Yepes, Spanish R.T.V. Symphony Orchestra, Odon Alonso
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Concierto de Aranjuez / Noches en los Jardines de España
Classical - Released by Efen Records on 15 May 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Beginning of a Legend, Vol. 3: Narciso Yepes
Classical - Released by IDIS on 3 Jul 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Guitar Weekend
Siegfried Behrend, Narciso Yepes
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo