Author: Steven Watson

First, a wonderful concert by Joaquín Panadés and Daniele Sardone, both no-nailers: Another splendid video of Carles Trepat and Carmen Jimenez. Again, both no-nailers: I’ve been researching the harp and nails. The concert harp (from the Classical period onwards) has always been played without nails, but historically nails were sometimes used, especially in Ireland and…

First up, hot off the press, a new Carles Trepat video. This time he’s playing a Torres guitar that belonged to Severino García Fortea (1854-1931), a friend, neighbor, and student of Francisco Tárrega: Enrica Savigni and Marco Ramelli have a new duo album out. Enrica plays without nails and Marco plays with. They create an…

This extraordinary video deserves a post of its own. Here is Jon Mendle playing Sor’s most famous piece, Introduction, Theme and Variations on a Theme of Mozart, op. 9. He is using a guitar from c. 1830, with gut strings, and is following Sor’s no-nail technique. A must watch:

Teresa de Rogatis (1893-1979). Rogatis was an Italian player with a considerable reputation. For a long time she taught in Cairo and helped to found the National Conservatory of Egypt. She also wrote a number of compositions, for piano as well as guitar, which have since been recorded. There is also a home recording of…

First, Nicola Pignatiello, who plays without nails on gut strings, as here (but grows nails when using nylgut). I think this a magical performance: Vincent Dubès is an extraordinary virtuoso, specialising in 19th century guitar. There aren’t many recordings of him yet, especially since he cut off his nails a few years ago, but this…

It’s really a wonderful time to be a no-nailer. There are now so many excellent, thriving players, with new recordings coming out almost by the week. And I’m sure I’ve missed plenty. But here is Enrica Savigni (no-nails) and Marco Ramelli (nails) performing some Clara Schumann: And Daniel Sardone and Joaquin Panadés playing a composition…

First up, we have a wonderful Mozart duet by Carles Trepat (no-nails) and Edin Karamazov (nails). It’s a rare opportunity to hear the two techniques side-by-side. Both are playing Torres guitars with gut and silk strings. I’ve added a page on Pepita Roca, the last student of Tarrega. Segovia’s comments about her playing are particularly…

Rob MacKillop is the godfather of modern no-nail playing, and he has a new album out: Giovanni Paolo Foscarini: the Complete Works for Baroque Guitar in the Lute Style. None of the works have been recorded before, and Rob plays them wonderfully — a must listen! Brandon Acker has made another fun no-nail video. This…

Duo Savigni (19th century guitar & fortepiano) have a new album out. It’s an absolutely blast, from beginning to end. Enrica’s playing — on a period instrument, gut strings, no nails — is extraordinary. A must listen! A recent discovery: Jan Tuláček, a luthier who is also a superb 19th century no-nail guitarist. There are…

Carles Trepat has a new video out. Just gorgeous: Thanks to Tate Harmann for alerting me to this talk on nails and the lute. The nail debate in the lute world is the inverse of the guitar world — i.e. there’s a prejudice against nails. The first half of the video gives an excellent historical…