1857-1865 Francisco Gonzalez Guitar Workshop and his Guitar Teachers

September 12, 2025 A week ago I became aware that Antonio Cano began receiving great reviews, taking up almost 2 complete columns, for his concerts in June of 1846 (El Eco del comercio 13 / 6 / 1846 n.º 1.167 página 4), and that the following year in early June 1847, he actually began his publishing exploits (El Espectador (Madrid. 1841) 8 / 6 / 1847 página 4.) Both of these images can be seen at the end of this lengthy article.

Antonio Cano, the concert artist, who was a pupil of Dionisio Aguado, published his guitar method published in 1852, sheet music booklets at times, on a subscription basis, charging 24 reales per quarter year, with free shipping to the provincial areas of Spain. These were sold in 1855 before the Academia de Guitarra teaching activities began in 1857 and continued for some years by Antonio Cano (1811-1897) and eventually his son, Federico, who taught guitar at the Francisco Gonzalez guitar workshop located at calle Toledo 40, Madrid. It has been said Antonio Cano was Francisco Tarrega's teacher at the Madrid Conservatorio in 1875. At that time Tarrega lived in a boarding house and he would walk out every morning on to a street that had several guitar makers workshops with two blocks of where he lived, not to mention less than a mile away was an adjacent street housing a dozen guitar workshops.

In the "La Nación" (Madrid. 1849)., page 4. on May 31, 1865 it was announced that Tomas Damas (1817-1890) was teaching at the Francisco Gonzalez Carrera San Jeronimo workshop.

In the "La Iberia" (Madrid. 1854)., page 4. on June 1, 1865 it was also announced that Tomas Damas (1817-1890) was teaching guitar at the Francisco Gonzalez Carrera San Jeronimo location workshop. Tomas Damas published his method book in 1867, the photo shown is from the cover of that method.

I have included the photo of Antonio Cano that appeared in the magazine "La Guitarra" Issue No. 1 published by Juan Carlos Anido in Buenos Aires in July of 1923.

In the "La Iberia" (Madrid. 1868) on March 8, 1872, página 3, was an article on a concert held a hall within the "Escuela Nacional de Musica" by Maestro Antonio Cano, playing the operatic pieces "Linda de Chamounix" and "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" by Bellini.

In the weekly magazine "El Artista" (Madrid. 1866). December 22, 1868 was the proclamation of the new guitar method (In Tablature) by Tomas Damas, published by Antonio Romero y Andia. Don't miss the listing of the Jules Verne books advertised on the top of the same page.