Few stories in guitar history are as moving as that of Antonio José (1902–1936). A Spanish composer of dazzling promise — Ravel reportedly called him a future "greatest Spanish musician of his century" — he wrote one of the supreme works of the guitar repertoire before his life was cut brutally short.
A brilliant, brief life
Born Antonio José Martínez Palacios in Burgos in 1902, he was a gifted composer, choral conductor and collector of Castilian folk song. His career was rising fast in the 1930s — and then it ended in tragedy. In October 1936, at the start of the Spanish Civil War, he was arrested and executed near Estépar at the age of just thirty-three, his music suppressed and very nearly lost.
The Sonata para guitarra
His masterpiece for the instrument is the Sonata para guitarra, completed in 1933 and dedicated to the great guitarist Regino Sáinz de la Maza. It is a large, four-movement work of extraordinary richness — by turns lyrical, rhythmic and deeply Spanish — and is widely regarded as one of the finest guitar sonatas ever written. For decades it lay neglected; the manuscript was rediscovered and finally published in 1990, since when it has rightly entered the concert repertoire.
Why it matters
Antonio José's Sonata is both a masterpiece and a memorial — a reminder of a genius silenced far too soon, and proof of how much the guitar lost in him. To play or hear it is to glimpse the great composer he might have become.
Where to get the sheet music
Antonio José died in 1936, so his music is in the public domain in most countries and free to download legally there — see our guide to free classical guitar sheet music.
FAQ
Who was Antonio José?
A Spanish composer (1902–1936) from Burgos, killed in the Spanish Civil War, famous for his Sonata para guitarra.
What is his most important guitar work?
The Sonata para guitarra (1933), regarded as one of the greatest guitar sonatas, rediscovered and published in 1990.
Is his music free?
He died in 1936, so his work is in the public domain in most countries.
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