Luis de Briceño

Luis de Briceño (fl. 1610s-1630s) was a Spanish guitarist and music theorist who introduced the Spanish guitar style in France, where previously only the lute was considered a serious plucked instrument. He travelled in high courtly circles in both countries, and is first cited as an authority on the Spanish guitar in 1614[1] His Metodo mui facilissimo para aprender a tañer la guitarra a lo español (1626, Very Easy Method to Learn to Play the Guitar in the Spanish Style) is the main source of knowledge of the Spanish style,[2] since few books appeared during this period in Spain itself.[3]

His own transcriptions include villanos, villancicos, pasacalles, tonos frances, españoletas, romances, folias, seguidillas and a "Danza de la Hacha". A selection were recorded by le Poème Harmonique, directed by Vincent Dumestre, for Alpha/Outhere in 2011.

References

  1. ↑ The Guitar and Its Music: From the Renaissance to the Classical Era - Page 100 James Tyler, Paul Sparks - 2007 "Briceno (dates unknown) evidently travelled in high courtly circles in both countries. He is first cited in connection with a book written in Spanish by 'Le Sieur de Moulere' for Louis XIII that was published in Paris in 1614"
  2. ↑ Concise History of the Classic Guitar - Page 33 Graham Wade - 2001 "Luis de Briceno's Guitar Method - Luis de Briceno's Metodo muy facilissimo para aprender a taner la Guitarra a lo Espanol (Very Easy Method to Learn to Play the Guitar in the Spanish Style) (Paris, 1626) was the only Spanish guitar book ..."
  3. ↑ The Guitar from the Renaissance to the Present Day - Page 56 Harvey Turnbull - 1992 "We have met one Spaniard whose work appeared early in the century, but outside Spain - Luis de Briceno. Within the country sources are few. One collection, unfortunately undated, in Musica de vihuela by Antonio de Santa Cruz."