Francisco Tárrega - Maria, Isabel, Rosita, Marieta & Adelita (1885-99)

Francisco de Asís Tárrega y Eixea (21 November 1852 – 15 December 1909) was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist of the late Romantic period. He is known for such pieces as Capricho Árabe, Recuerdos de la Alhambra and Gran Vals.

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1. Maria. Gavota in A minor (1885) (0:00)
Dedication: “A mi querido amigo, el eminente mandolinista, D. Baldomero Cateura”

2. Isabel. Vals sobre un tema de Strauss II in D major (c.1899) (1:26)

3. Rosita. Polka in D major (c.1890) (2:44)
Dedication: A La Señorita Rosita González de Melo

4. ¡Marieta! Mazurka in A minor (c.1897) (4:28)
Dedication: A mi queridissimo amigo D. Santiago Gisbert

5. ¡Adelita! Mazurka in E minor (1902) (6:23)

Giulio Tampalini, guitar

1. According to scholarly and archival sources, Tárrega composed Maria in 1885, during his period in Barcelona. This was a significant year in his life: he moved to the city with his wife María José Rizo, and he became part of a vibrant musical circle that included composers such as Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados, and Joaquín Turina. The piece reflects the Romantic style characteristic of Tárrega’s output, with its expressive, melodic lines and intimate character. He dedicated the little work to Baldomero Cateura the man who invented the Spanish mandolin, for which he designed new resources, and the Piano-Pédalier, which interested many pianists of the time, especially Granados and Gounod which won the gold medal at the International Exhibition of Paris in 1896.

2. Isabel is a short romantic waltz on a theme by Johann Strauss Jr, blending classical form with Spanish guitar tradition.

3. Rosita is a short polka for guitar, dedicated to Señorita Rosita González de Melo, and is listed among Tárrega’s Romantic-era salon works.

4. The Rosita mazurka is dedicated to Tárrega’s friend D. Santiago Gisbert and is named after his daughter María Rosalía (nicknamed Marieta), who was born on 13 September 1885.
The piece is a single‑movement mazurka for guitar, written in the Romantic style, and is now part of the standard classical guitar repertoire, often included in advanced examinations such as the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Grade 8 list.

5. The name Adelita is widely believed to refer to Adela Aymerich, the allegedly illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso XII of Spain.
This legend is the most common explanation given by guitarists and music historians, though there is no definitive documentary proof that Tárrega intended this specific reference.
Adelita is a short, expressive mazurka (or mazurka‑like piece) written for guitar. It is one of Tárrega’s most beloved miniatures, alongside Capricho Árabe and Recuerdos de la Alhambra. The work is in a Lento tempo, with a melodic, romantic character inspired by the kujawiak, a slow Polish folk dance, and by Chopin’s stylized mazurka tradition.