Andrey Osipovich Sychra (1773–1850) was born in Vilnius in 1773. As a nobleman, he was well-educated and played the guitar, harp, violin and piano masterfully. Sychra concentrated most of his creative energy on developing a playing technique and a repertoire for the seven-string guitar (tuned to a G major chord), which became known as the Russian guitar. No later than 1810, Sychra moved to St Petersburg, where he found fame and left a mark on history as the patriarch of the Russian guitar. In 1817–1845, when Sychra was at his most prolific, he created his masterpieces Four Exercises, Grand Fantasia on Motifs from the Opera Der Freischütz, Fantasia Dedicated to Count Lunin and Variations on the Russian Folk Song “Amidst the Flat Valley”, among others.
Another important contribution Sychra made to the seven-string guitar repertoire was through his transcriptions of widely popular Western European and Russian music by Mozart, Pleyel, Haydn, Beethoven and etc. These played an important role in the creation of the general concert repertoire in 19th-century Russia. Sychra’s transcriptions for ensembles with guitar were very popular among amateur musicians. The second section of this programme mainly contains Sychra’s transcriptions for various instrumental ensembles. Ensembles of two identical guitars, and those with violin or flute, were most popular in Italy, Austria, Germany and other European countries of the 19th century. Sychra’s contribution was that he also introduced guitars tuned up by a second, minor third (terz) and fourth (quart), which then became a guitar consort commonly used by Russian performers and composers.
Today, the uniquely rich Russian culture of the 19th century is an integral part of the cultural heritage of modern civilisation, in which the Russian seven-string guitar occupies its well-deserved place. The rich and diverse legacy of A.O. Sychra, as part of this culture, largely reflects artistic trends of his time, while his personal influence on the history of the guitar in Russia was as significant and important as the artistically valuable repertoire that he created for the seven-string guitar.
- Recorded MONTH YEAR in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
- Booklet in English contains liner notes by Aynur Begutov and profiles of the musicians
- Aynur Begutov plays seven-string guitars by Ivan Krasnoshekov (1855), Fedor Arhuzen (1890, 1891), Michail Eroshkin (1909) and Igor Budantsev (2021)
- Andrey Osipovich Sychra (1773–1850) was an important figure in the history of classical guitar, particularly within the Russian Empire. Born in Vilnius, he began his musical journey as a harpist before turning his focus to the guitar—a relatively new and evolving instrument at the time. Sychra became one of the first virtuoso guitarists and composers to adopt and promote the seven-string Russian guitar, which distinguished itself from the more common six-string Spanish guitar by its tuning and resonant sound.
- Sychra wrote over a thousand pieces for the seven-string guitar, including preludes, etudes, variations, and arrangements of popular melodies and folk tunes. His works combined technical sophistication with lyrical expressiveness, helping to establish a serious repertoire for the instrument. As a performer, he was highly respected for his virtuosity and expressiveness, and his concerts contributed significantly to the guitar’s popularity in 19th-century Russia.
- As an influential teacher Sychra laid the foundation for a Russian school of guitar playing. His method books and pedagogical approach influenced a generation of guitarists, and he played a crucial role in legitimizing the guitar as an instrument suitable for concert performance and academic study.
- Played by Russian guitarist Aynur Begutov, seconded by singers Julia Ziganshina and Anna Halldórsdottir , Asiya Gareeva (violin) and Valeriy Ksenofontov (guitar).
- Aynur Begutov successfully recorded a 3-CD set with guitar music by Sergei Rudnev.
