Andres Segovia was totally unique in being self-taught yet becoming the leading guitarist of his time. Indeed it is his remarkable gifts that today has made the instrument acceptable in the concert hall. Born in Spain in 1893, he had fallen in love with the sound of local guitarists playing folk music, but was ten before he could own his own instrument. From therein he perfected his technique so that by the age of 16 he was ready to give his first public solo recital. With his modest finances international touring was difficult, but by the age of thirty he had stunned South America with his virtuosity and had played through much of Europe. The major problem he faced was a lack of guitar music, and those works that were available were be unknown composers. Though many were to write for him, much of his concert programmes had to be devoted to his arrangements of music for other instruments, often in his very free approach. He loved Bach yet made no pretence of 'authenticity'and would add harmonies and rhythmic variants as pleased him and which he thought were appropriate to the guitar. He equally avoided playing complete works, simply choosing those movements he thought were best suited to the instrument, often leading to fragmented recitals. Yet there was such belief in all that he arranged, with the interpretations having an integrity that avoided any personal glorification. Technically he could sometimes be wayward, yet in these New York recordings made over the period 1952 to 1955, there is admirable accuracy, and I would urge all young guitarists - and their recording engineers - to hear the disc, if only to realise how little left hand movement is audible. The transfers are immaculate, and if you want a Segovia memorial disc, this is the one.