Miguel Llobet Solés (18 October 1878 – 22 February 1938) was a Spanish classical guitarist, composer, and arranger, widely regarded as one of the foremost virtuosos of the early 20th‑century guitar tradition.
Early life and education
Born in Barcelona to a family of a wood‑gilder, Llobet first studied violin and piano before receiving a guitar as a gift from an uncle. He was baptized at the church of Sant Just i Pastor. In 1889 he attended a recital by Antonio Jiménez Manjón, which inspired him to pursue formal guitar instruction. He first met the eminent guitarist‑pedagogue Francisco Tárrega in 1892 and began studying with him at the Municipal Conservatory of Music in Barcelona two years later, learning primarily through observation and personal experimentation rather than a codified method.
Professional career
Llobet gave his inaugural public concert in 1901 at the Conservatory of Valencia, followed by performances in Seville, Málaga, and Madrid. His patron, Concepción Gómez de Jacoby, facilitated his first international appearance in Paris in 1904, after which he established a long‑term residence there (1905‑1910). He subsequently toured extensively across Europe—including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom—and the Americas, giving concerts in Buenos Aires, the United States (Boston, Philadelphia, New York), and throughout Central and South America.
Recordings
Llobet made some of the earliest electrical recordings of classical guitar, notably for the Parlophon/Electric series in Barcelona and later for the Odeon‑Parlophone label in Argentina, beginning in 1925. These recordings are valued for preserving his distinctive tone and interpretive style.
Compositions and arrangements
A prolific arranger, Llobet produced well‑known guitar transcriptions of Catalan folk songs and of piano works by Isaac Albéniz, many of which were later popularized by Andrés Segovia. He also composed original pieces for solo guitar, contributing modestly to the Romantic‑style repertoire.
Pedagogy
Among his most distinguished pupils were María Luisa Anido (whom he taught in Buenos Aires from 1923) and José Rey de la Torre, a Cuban virtuoso he mentored in Barcelona (1932‑1934). Though Segovia consulted Llobet early in his career, he later described himself as largely self‑taught.
Legacy
Llobet is credited with advancing the technical and expressive possibilities of the classical guitar, influencing subsequent generations of performers and teachers. His arrangements remain standard repertoire, and his early recordings are frequently cited as reference performances.
Death
Miguel Llobet died in his native Barcelona on 22 February 1938 at the age of 59. His contributions continue to be celebrated in concerts, recordings, and guitar competitions bearing his name.