Alberto Ginastera – Sonata Op. 47: II. Scherzo | Jerzy Chwastyk, guitar by Arnoldo Garcia

Alberto Ginastera’s Sonata for Guitar, Op. 47 stands as one of the most important works in the 20th-century guitar repertoire. Alongside Astor Piazzolla, Ginastera is considered one of the most outstanding and internationally recognized Argentine composers of the 20th century. Yet their musical worlds differ profoundly.
While Piazzolla drew heavily from the urban soundscape of Buenos Aires and revolutionized tango, Ginastera turned his attention toward a different Argentina — one rooted in rural traditions, vast landscapes, and the culture of the gauchos. His music evokes the open spaces of the Pampas, capturing both their beauty and their raw, untamed energy.
In the Scherzo of the Sonata, we hear echoes of traditional forms such as vidala, transformed into a modern and highly expressive musical language. The movement is driven by striking dynamic contrasts — sudden shifts between whispering delicacy and explosive intensity. These oppositions create a sense of tension and unpredictability, reflecting both the vastness of the landscape and the intensity of folk expression.
Ginastera also fully exploits the sonic possibilities of the guitar. Here, the instrument becomes almost orchestral — not only lyrical but also deeply percussive. Sharp attacks, rhythmic gestures, and unconventional textures expand the guitar’s expressive range, painting a vivid sonic image of Argentina beyond the city.
Interestingly, within this modern and rhythmically charged texture, Ginastera briefly alludes to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner — a subtle and unexpected reference that appears momentarily, like a distant echo, before dissolving back into the musical landscape.
This is not the refined elegance of salon music nor the urban pulse of tango. Instead, it is a powerful musical portrait of a world beyond the city — vast, contrasting, and deeply rooted in tradition.

This performance is recorded on a concert model guitar crafted by Arnoldo Garcia, whose instrument offers a rich palette of colors and a powerful, resonant sound, perfectly suited to Ginastera’s expressive and percussive writing.

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Видео Alberto Ginastera – Sonata Op. 47: II. Scherzo | Jerzy Chwastyk, guitar by Arnoldo Garcia канала Jerzy Chwastyk