Hallelujah, the work is done! For my conclusions, I want to highlight that on December 7, 2024, a fragment of Handel's "The Messiah" was performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, presented by the Academy of Ancient Music in Tenebrae, conducted by Nigel Short. Now that was true bel canto! Although I have the feeling that even though the work is finished, I still have much to study, research, and learn, especially related to bel canto and the guitar.
After spending two years trying to understand the real relationship between bel canto and the guitar, I feel it is authentic. Bel canto, with its emphasis on the beauty of the voice and musical expression, is a tradition that reminds us of the importance of technique and emotion in interpretation. Obviously, music comes from the most primal source, which is the voice along with rhythm. However, it is something that must be studied in order to interpret this music with all the details it contains, pushing our abilities as musicians to the highest level, knowing that there is always room for improvement and to go beyond what is written.
It is essential to understand the functioning of the instrument and the connection that can be created with it, which, in turn, enhances the enjoyment of music. Bel canto teaches us to care for every nuance, every phrasing, and to seek beauty in every note.
As the composer and guitarist Stephen Goss said in his talk about whether music is what is written in the scores: "The correct is not remembered by anyone, only the pure." Undoubtedly, I would like to affirm that this period was a complete achievement, and everything these artists did must be preserved, making it very important to continue studying it.