Rondeña guitar solo

Ramón Montoya, 1936. Solo by Ramón Montoya.

Montoya turned the rondeña into a solo guitar piece with a retuned sixth string; it paved the way for solo concert flamenco.

Ramón Montoya's Rondeña is a landmark in the history of flamenco guitar. He adapted the rondeña for solo guitar, retuning the sixth string to create a deep, resonant sound and a darker harmonic palette. The piece moves slowly, with rich chords and melodic passages that were unusually elaborate for their time. Montoya's work helped establish the guitar as a solo concert instrument in flamenco rather than simply an accompaniment. Listen for the resonance of the lowered bass string, which gives the whole piece a deep, ringing foundation that sets it apart from standard-tuned flamenco.

Rondeña by Ramón Montoya is featured in our Flamenco (#12) list. The solo is played by Ramón Montoya and the song was released in 1936.

In our lists

• The Greatest Solo of Every Year — #1
• The 25 Greatest Flamenco Guitar Recordings — #12
• The Best Guitar Solos of 1936 — #1

Sources