This tremolo etude places the soaring melody in the soprano voice and the persistent ostinato in the lower and middle voices.
Agustin Barrios Mangore (1885-1944) was one of the most successful and influential guitarist/composers of the first half of the twentieth century. His compositions range from simple etudes to wildly virtuosic multi-movement works. The majority of these works fall into one of three categories: folkloric, in which pieces were modeled after South American folksongs; imitative, in which composition styles and techniques were borrowed from the Baroque and Romantic periods; and religious, in which pieces were inspired by Barrios' own religious experiences and beliefs. As a performer, his virtuosic abilities have been compared to other composer/performers such as Niccolo Paganini. Barrios' final composition, Una Limosnita por Amor de Dios ("An Alm for the Love of God"), represents one of his religious works. The piece, subtitled "El Ultimo Tremolo," is a tremolo etude that places the soaring melody in the soprano voice and the persistent ostinato in the lower and middle voices. It is said that while Barrios was teaching a guitar lesson, a beggar came knocking at his door asking for money for food (thus the title of the piece). This knocking is emulated with the left hand ostinato throughout. The majority of the piece centers on the key of E Minor but moves into E Major toward the end. During the compositional process, Barrios knew his end was near. This shift in tonality symbolizes the acceptance of, and peace with, his death. After this final composition, Barrios spent his remaining days in tranquility, solace and meditation.
