Graciano Tarrago (Salamanca, 1892 - Barcelona, 1973)
When Tarrago was five years old his family moved to Barcelona where he engaged in the major part his musical activity. In 1906 he studied the violin and the guitar in the Liceo of this city. In 1908 he registered at the Conservatory in Madrid, where he studies harmony with Bartolome Perez Casas, one of the orchestra conductors with the biggest reputation at that time; a pupil of Felipe Pedrell. He also studied the violin with Antonio Fernandez Bordas, a pupil of P. Sarasate. He returned to Barcelona in 1912 to perfect his guitar studies with Miguel Llobet.
Tarrago held various posts in different orchestras: he was first viola in the Symphonic Orchestra of Barcelona (founded by Joan Lamote de Grignon) and the orchestra of the Liceo, collaborating with musicians such as Pablo Casals and Eduardo Toldra. After alternating for some time between the two instruments, he decided to dedicate himself exclusively to the guitar.
In 1933 he began working as a guitar teacher in the Liceo de Barcelona. in 1936 he was awarded the first prize in the Bologna Competition for guitar composition. Between 1950 and 1965 he dedicated himself to giving concerts as a soloist with his daughter Renata (1927-2002) and with the soprano Victoria de los Angeles (1923-2005). He was a member of the Cuarteto Iberico (Iberian Quartet) which he founded, and from 1971 on, also a member of the Cuarteto Tarrago (Tarrago Quartet).
Regarding Tarrago's biographical details, I would like here to express my gratitude to Jaume Torrent, a pupil of Tarrago's, and a former director of the Conservatorio del Liceo de Barcelcona, for information facilitated.
Tarrago's compositions for solo guitar, numbering approximately one hundred, and particularly his transcriptions of such works as the Anna Magdalena Bach Album, the Paganini Capriccios, the Spanish vihuela players and popular Spanish songs for voice and guitar, became quite well known.
(The Legacy of Manuel de Falla, Spanish Guitar Music from the Generation of 1927, Volume 1, Series directed & edited by Rafael Catalá)

Nacido en Salamanca, la actividad musical de Graciano Tarragó se desarrolló, se centró en Barcelona, primero como concertista, tanto en conciertos a solo como formando parte del Cuarteto Ibérico, fundado por él; en una segunda dedicación como compositor y transcriptor a la guitarra de numerosas obras y, con notable influencia, como pedagogo.
En principio alternó el violín con la guitarra, para dedicarse de lleno a esta última. Su notable trabajo de transcripciones cuenta con una especial dedicación a la música de los grandes maestros, entre las que cuentan el Album de Ana Magdalena Bach o diversos Caprichos de Paganini; junto a obras de Gaspar Sanz, Alard, Mudarra, Lully y otros, o más próximas como El sitio de Zaragoza de Cristóbal Oudrid.
En la misma línea se encuentran las versiones de muy diversas canciones populares, desde las muestras catalanas, a las asturianas o gallegas. A este último grupo pertenecen las seis piezas españolas Danza mallorquina, Murciana, Playera, Extremeña, Cala Montjoi (sardana) y Sevillanas.
Web: http://www.clubguitarra.com/gtarrago.htm