Despite having been the greatest guitarist-composer of the last century's first half, after his death in 1944, Agustín Barrios-Mangoré and his music went practically forgotten and for at least two decades the composer and his work were ignored. His purpose perhaps was overshadowed by the omnipresence of two great facilitators of the time's repertoire for classical guitar: Andrés Segovia in Spain with his transcriptions from the Renaissance vihuela and the baroque lute, and Villa-Lobos in Brazil, with his novel compositions of ethnic roots.
All this was happening despite the widespread academic opinion that indicated the undeniable superiority in emotionality, virtuosity and technical quality that Barrios' work entails in comparison with the contributions of the other two great contemporary masters already named – understood Villa-Lobos in his contribution to guitar.
In the 70s, great guitarists such as John Williams or David Russell began incorporating him into their repertoire, making him known for the second time to the world, if that can be said.
Agustín Barrios-Mangoré (1885 - 1944)
The famous tremolo known by its numerous names (The last tremolo, The last song, etc.), among them the highly sentimental Una limosna por amor de Dios (Alms for the love of God), was composed at the end of his life and, in all likelihood, is his last written work. In this piece, as beautiful as it is brief, Barrios shows his great mastery in tremolo technique, the melody entrusted to the soprano voice while a rhythmic motif in ostinato in charge of the middle voice does not rest throughout the piece (hence his name, ostinato).
The impeccable rendition is by the Scottish guitarist, David Russell.
