El Maestro
- Who is Niño Ricardo?
- Serrapí Manuel Sanchez, known as one of the Great Masters of Flamenco guitar, was born on July 11, 1904, in Seville Plaza de Argüelles (Today the Plaza del Cristo de Burgos) in a typical neighborhood of that time.
- Beginnings
- Serrapí Ricardo Torres, guitarist and father of Niño Ricardo and Antonio Moreno, a friend of his father, where the ones who introduced him to the world of flamenco when he was 13 years old, although like Ricardo, he did not want to be a professional guitar.
- Javier Molina, a guitarist born in Jerez, was the one who gave him his first opportunity at his 14 years, acting in a flamenco show, where he met some of the great singers of the time, artists who would later accompany him outside Spain for the rest of his career.
- At the age of 20 years he made his first recordings on board.
- The triumph of the Master
- Ricardo developed a new style that revolutionized the guitar and left a deep impression, thus creating his own style "El Ricardismo." More than technique, the complete command, he sought modernity, breaking out of the fees and reaching further into the compositions. The fingers are no longer subject to the mechanical logic of the fingerings, but the musical idea falseta. Perhaps because this approach introduced a new challenge to the technique of flamenco guitar at the time many guitarists of his time are recognized as his disciples.
- Great guitarists like Paco de Lucia, Enrique de Melchor, Serranito have stated on more than one occasion that the Niño Ricardo "was the master of the guitarists of our generation. It represented the ultimate feel of flamenco guitar, the Pope, We learned a lot from him and tried to imitate him."
- He recorded with the best singers of the era, such as La Niña de los Peines, Pastora Imperio, Tomás Torres, Pepe Pinto, El Gloria, Juan Vallejo, El Carbonerillo, Mazaca, Antonio Chacón, Manuel Mairena, Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera, Caracol, Juan Talega, Chocolate, Lola Flores or later Enrique Morente, but he especially admired Tomas Torres. Ricardo rotated with many during his career, and with other guitar masters like Sabicas.
- In 1945 he underwent surgery on his throat that left a distinctive voice, deep and hoarse, but this does not prevent him from continuing his career and makes him easily recognized. He composed much to great singers like Antonio Molina couplet or Juanito Valderrama, a musician for some of his biggest hits, like "The Emigrant", "Your First Communion or The King of the Road" among others.
- In his memory
- At his death a monument was erected in his grave Cemetery of San Fernando de Sevilla which represents an angel with a guitar in his hands lifting him to Heaven. The sculpture by Sandino was financed with the proceeds of sales of the tribute album that was recorded in 1972 in which a group of Ricardo, and Paco de Lucía, Ramón de Algeciras, SABIC and his own son interprete his own themes.
- In 2005, the City of Sevilla, with the momentum of Niño Ricardo Peña, raised a monument to the Master in the same square where he was born, Plaza del Cristo de Burgos.
- His technique
- The brilliant arrangements of chords with his left hand and his creative genius flourishes makes its own unique sound. His right hand was only in his constant manipulation of the vocal and insistent rhythmic counterpoint. Serrapí Manuel's touch was such a burden of musical motivation that few singers have recognized that never sang better than its accompaniment, because he was very fond of singing before the concert, making his guitar sing for others, variations remain an inexhaustible source of the best flamenco guitar.
- Ricardo has been one of the wisest guitarists in history and asserted that the guitar was for a religion. He said that together with the song's guitar should have a dialogue: "Neither should silence the guitar sing it or get out the way of singing."
- "The flamenco guitar wouldn't be what it is without the invaluable contribution of El Maestro."
