Antonio Carracedo Guitar maker at 16 years of age

Two years ago I became aware that Gregorio Carracedo (1790-187- had made 2 guitars that Trinidad Huerta used in a concert held in Madrid in September 1847. Now we have an article from a newspaper also published in Madrid in the same year, just 2 1/2 months later, claiming that his son, Antonio Carracedo (1831-), made the guitars. Who knows?

Did Gregorio tell Antonio to say to the journalist that he made them? Gregorio had been in his business at least since 1820, and he was 57 years old as the meeting took place. The year after this event took place, guitar maker, Francisco Gonzalez, had a workshop just blocks away from Gregorio and Antonio's workshop on the same street.

Antonio had been working in the workshop since he was 13 or maybe even 9 or 10 years of age. If you read other articles about him on my site, you learn he won awards, in 1873, in expositions when he was 42 years of age, and that Francisco Gonzalez (1820-1879) did in the same expositions as well.

Huerta had been called the "Paganini of the Guitar" for 14 years repeatedly in the press.

In the daily "El Heraldo" (Madrid. 1842) on 9-11-1847 on page 4 and "El Español" (Madrid. 1835) on 9-12-1847 #989 on page 4

"—The famous guitarist Huerta begs us

that we announce to his friends, to the fans and to the

guitar teachers that Gregorio Carracedo, fabricator

of guitars on calle de la Cruz, has built

two rosewood of an extraordinary quality,

being able to assure that he has not seen them louder, and

that his excellent voices meet all the conditions

that requires such a difficult instrument. Various fans,

they have also seen them and have assured the same thing, that

giving very pleased to see such good works due

to the application and talent of a Spanish artist.

and so that the general public can play, Mr.

Huerta at the farewell concert that will have the honor

to give in the Liceo before leaving for abroad,

he will play on said guitars, that he truly

They deserve the name of harps."

In the daily "El Eco del comercio" 11-28-1847 # 1,585 on page 4

—On Thursday night we had the pleasure of hearing

playing the guitar by Professor Francisco Huerta,

whose skill has been so applauded abroad,

whose countries he has traveled. Among the different

pieces that he played were an Aria from Lucia, from

Lucrecia, the anthem of Riego and the Andalusian airs, (Flamenco pieces)

the last two composed by the same gentleman

Mr. Huerta, with a multitude of hilarious variations and

of exquisite taste, When the strings of its beauty vibrate

guitar in the sentimental parts that he played, experienced

our hearts the same emotions,

producing such an effect on the spectators, that

as if they were listening to the famous Ronconi and

Moriani, burst into resounding applause and bravery;

However, if feelings were caused by the pulsations

of Mr. Huerta in the pathetic part, older

was the joy when the scene changed with the anthem of

Irrigation and the Andalusian air, since any comparison

It is little, to taste, to truly manners

nationals and the admirable execution of the

Mr. Huerta, who received samples of the taste

with which he was listened to. We have the

complacency that a Spaniard, and playing with

such perfection, also a Spanish instrument,

He has managed to cause the admiration of foreigners

and helped many unfortunate people who moaned in the

emigration and that without his help they would have perished.

On another occasion we mentioned the idea of opening

a guitar academy under the protection of the

government, because it is very miserable that when

and rightly rewards those who are noted for their

ability in other instruments is condemned

to oblivion the one who, both for being Spanish and for

being able to perform things in it that it does not lend itself to

no other, had to spread at the expense of anyone

sacrifice. And so that it is not believed that we are dragged

for friendship or for pleasant memories

that Mr. Huerta has left in us,

we would agree with the idea that before giving the

address of the museum that we propose, precede

a contest in which others would measure their strength

professors in Spain obscured by

not having had a chance to show off his knowledge.

And we say it with so much more sincerity

since Mr. Huerta would be the first to accept

this honorable fight in which his victory would be more

pleasant, and his defeat alone would console him, seeing that

Hear you marched along the path in which he made

sprout so many flowers.

Before concluding we must tell the public

that the two very beautiful guitars on which he played the

Mr. Huerta said night, they have been built

with careful taste by Antonio Carracedo,

16-year-old young man, who lives on Calle de la Cruz

where his father has the establishment; we owe a lot

promise us from the application of this young man,

whose advances are more satisfactory every day.