The Tender Echo

The Tender Echo brings to life the rich Spanish string repertoire of the 18th century and celebrates its rightful place among internationally acclaimed Spanish repertoires such as their guitar repertoire and 16th-century polyphony.

Guillermo Salas Suárez brings new English translations of the three foundational Spanish violin treatises of the period—Pablo Minguet's Reglas y Advertencias generales, José Herrando's Arte y puntual explicación del modo de tocar el violín, and Fernando Ferandiere's Prontuario Músico—and applies their principles to performance practices for a wide range of examples from Spanish solo and chamber works. Placing these treatises in dialogue with the most influential European music tutors of the era, Salas Suárez reveals the ways that Spanish musicians either aligned with or departed from Continental traditions. He further broadens their scope by drawing on additional Spanish sources for guitar, voice, and cello, shedding light on essential concepts for improvisation and ornamentation.

The first book in English to explore 18th-century Spanish string repertoire and its performance practice, The Tender Echo will serve as a definitive resource for musicians and music scholars alike.