Agustin Barrios Mangore Biography

Agustín Pío Barrios (also known as Agustín Barrios Mangoré) (born May 5, 1885 in San Juan Bautista de las Missiones, Paraguay; died August 7, 1944) was a Paraguayan guitarist and composer.

The folk music of Paraguay (including the polca paraguaya, vals and zamba) provided the young Barrios with his first introduction to music. In 1898, Barrios was formally introduced to the classical guitar repertoire by Gustovo Sosa Escalada. At that time, Barrios had already composed works for the guitar, and also performed pieces written by his former teacher Alias, such as La Chinita and La Perezosa. Under the influence of his new teacher, Barrios went on to perform and study the works of Tárrega, Vinas, Sor and Aguado. Sosa Escalada was so impressed with his new pupil that he convinced Barrios' parents to let him move to Asunción to continue his education. Having already surpassed the technical and performing abilities of most guitarists, Barrios began to seriously compose around 1905.

Barrios' compositions can be divided into three basic categories: folkloric, imitative and religious. Barrios paid tribute to the music and people of his native land by composing pieces modeled after folk songs from South America and Central America. Imitating the compositional style and techniques of the Baroque and Romantic periods was another side to his craftsmanship. La Catedral may be viewed as Barrios' imitation of Bach. It is believed that La Catedral was inspired by a religious experience for Barrios; therefore, the piece may also be categorized under religion. Religious beliefs and experiences also played an important role in Barrios' compositional process. Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios (An Alm for the Love of God) is another example of a religiously-inspired work. Breaking down the works of Barrios into these three categories helps the guitar enthusiast to understand Barrios' musical intent.

List of Paraguayans