MATIAS TIAGO: Iberia

MATIAS TIAGO – Iberia

Portugal and Spain went through periods of mutual closeness and conflict in the 16th–18th centuries, including unified rule from 1580–1640, which was strongly reflected in art and music. The cultural connection between the two countries was symbolized especially by two instruments – the vihuela (in Portugal viola de mão) and the Baroque guitar (viola). While Spain produced a famous vihuela repertoire from composers such as Luys de Narváez and Luys Milán, Portugal preserved mainly evidence of the instrument's use rather than the compositions themselves.

The Baroque guitar repertoire, by contrast, was equally significant in both countries: alongside Spanish composers such as Gaspar Sanz and Santiago de Murcia, Portugal produced an extensive manuscript Cifras de Viola from the early 18th century. Matias Tiago's concert is built on this repertoire.

Matias Tiago is a Portuguese musician specializing in historical string instruments – lute, vihuela, Baroque guitar, and theorbo. He studied at the Aveiro Calouste Gulbenkian Conservatory and completed his classical guitar degree at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa. He performs on the European and international scene and regularly appears in Prague at the Summer Festival of Early Music at the Castle with his ensemble Sete Lágrimas.