Villancico de Navidad (Christmas Carol)
A short, lilting Christmas tune written in 1943 by Paraguayan virtuoso guitarist Augustín Pio Barrios (Mangoré). Originally written for guitar, this new edition is arranged for solo piano by Nigel Edmund-Jones (Fullscore Publishing). Renowned classical guitarist John Williams once said about Barrios: ‘As a guitarist/composer, Barrios is the best of the lot, regardless of era. His music is better formed, it's more poetic, it's more everything! And it's more of all those things in a timeless way.’ Villancico de Navidad is a truly beautiful lullaby. 
 
This tune has also been set to words, as a choral carol (both Away in a Manger [trad.] and Joy Shall be Yours in the Morning [Kenneth Grahame]) for SATB choir, by Fullscore Publishing: www.fullscoremusic.co.uk (Click here when published)
 
Biography
 
Born in Paraguay in 1885, Augustín Pio Barrios (Mangoré) was partly of indigenous Guarani origin. He dedicated his life to music, poetry, and travel, composing more than 100 original works and arranging another 200 works of other composers. He started recording in 1909/10 and toured across South America. 
 
La Catedral, inspired by J S Bach and composed in 1921, is widely considered to be Barrios's magnum opus, winning the approval of legendary guitarist Andrés Segovia.
 
[Wikipedia:] Barrios vehemently rejected the idea of devoting time 
to the formal instruction of students, as he saw it detrimental to the flourishing of the artist, often responding to persuasive attempts ‘cuando nace el maestro, muere el artista’ (the artist dies with the birth of the teacher). Given his masterful command of the instrument and compositional prolificity, the stance was then perceived as tragic eccentricity. When in El Salvador in 1940 he wrote his guitar method and instructed twelve students in guitar composition and performance. José Candido Morales was the keeper of Barrios' legacy, techniques and late works, teaching hundreds of guitar students after the death of Barrios in 1944.
 
Paraguayan song version with Guarani lyrics, set by Victor Hugo Márquez:
Se acerca ya el carretón con la queja de su canción.
Cansado, el viento no lo escuchó, solo el polvo respondió.
En la ciudad con tanta luz se celebra la Navidad.
Y aquí en la chosa nosotros dos esperandos al que vendrá.
 
Oh niño Jesús, nacido en Belén,
yo quiero que nazca guarán y también
ven a mi portal que yo te daré.
Mi vieja carreta, mi poncho y mi buey.
 
Saltando luceros de Israel. Quien brazas te inmuel te arrullaré?
Será un pequeño indixto, dulce y firme como él.
Por la floresta juntos iremos camino de la amanecer.
Se durmió el carretón junto al buey, paciente y triste,
Soñando el echo de mi varón tierno guaraninación.
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Recordings:
- Original version for guitar, recorded by John Williams on ‘The Great Paraguayan’, Sony Records 1977/1995/2015), available on Spotify and YouTube.
- Paraguayan a cappella Grupo Vocal ‘Cantarte’ have recorded a close harmony choral version (with lyrics by Victor Hugo Márquez), available on Spotify and YouTube.
- No recording of the Fullscore solo piano or choral editions have been made.
 
Cover image source: Paraguayan Christmas [www.telefuturo.com]
Inside cover portrait (above) of Barrios in 1922: photographer unknown 
 
More Christmas piano music published by Fullscore Music:
[Free downloads] fullscoremusic.co.uk/christmas
Two Catalan guitar carols: La Nit de Nadal (Miguel Llobet), El Noi de la Mare (Trad./Miguel Llobet)
+ The Cradle in Bethlehem (Roger Quilter), Gebet in der Christnacht (Fanny Mendelssohn) Hensel, Mariä Wiegenlied (Max Reger), The Little Girls' Dance (Niels Gade), Julstämning (Elfrida Andrée), Chant de Noël (De Séverac), Waltz (The Christmas Tree) (Rebikov), Don oíche úd i mBeithil (That star-lit night in Bethlehem) (Trad. Irish, arr. Nigel Edmund-Jones) - and more Christmas works for choir or flute and piano (Silent Night by Hans Sitt). and Christmas Sonatina by Carl Reinecke.
 
The following songs are also arranged for solo piano and published by Fullscore Publications (included in Songs without Words, Book 1, available only from Amazon here):
Morgen! (Richard Strauss): Score preview & download link
A Mirage (Amy Beach): Score preview & download link
Au bord de l'eau (Gabriel Fauré): Score preview & download link