Angelo Gillo - Vicente Asencio: Complete Guitar Music (2023)

The figure of Vicente Asencio is somewhat atypical within the field of twentieth-century music. His originality is due, among other aspects, to his importance as a composer for the guitar, in a standing which is not frequently achieved by non-guitarists. If Asencio lacked professional firsthand experience on the guitar, he certainly knew all of its secrets, and even – we may say – contributed to the creation of some new “secrets”. This was due to his close interaction with Narciso Yepes, who studied under his guidance in order to find new answers to musical and (consequently) instrumental problems. Challenged by Asencio’s artistic provocations, legendary guitarist Yepes was stimulated to craft new techniques and solutions on his instrument.
Another idiosyncratic trait of Asencio’s personality is that he achieved international fame by remaining proudly rooted within a relatively provincial milieu. He was deeply attached to the city of Valencia, and aimed at finding a musical voice bespeaking the city’s soul. Founding the Grupo de los Jóvenes in 1934, he wrote in their manifesto: “We aim to achieve a form of Valencian music that is vigorous and rich, to promote a Valencian school that is fruitful and varied, that incorporates in universal music the psychological traits and emotions of our people and our landscape; an art and a school that find expression in all genres, in symphonies, operas and ballet”.
Finally, another characteristic feature of Asencio’s music is its refusal of the most advanced traits of the avantgardes – and, paradoxically enough, here his modernity is precisely to be found. As he wrote once, “I am a modern musician, although I am not interested in all the current trends. I am a tonal musician; I believe that the atonal movement of today, which is relatively new in Spain and already old in Europe, is interesting as a movement intent on renewal; yet I also believe that its aesthetics do not really suit us Mediterraneans, with our temperament, because dodecaphony is a particularly cerebral movement, whereas we are essentially intuitive”.
This Da Vinci Classics album includes his complete works for the guitar, which are presented in the following lines by the performing artist himself.

Chiara Bertoglio