The Guitar in El Mercurio de Valparaíso (1900 – 1905)

Abstract

The following article presents the results of newspaper research concerning the presence of the guitar in El Mercurio de Valparaíso between 1900 and 1905. This investigation was carried out using the digital database "World Newspaper Archive: Historical Newspapers from Around the Globe," reviewing all mentions of the keyword "guitar" in the newspaper during that time period. The gathered information allows us to verify the widespread presence of the instrument in various social and cultural contexts. In this way, we identified the guitarists, composers, and teachers who were most active during those years, as well as background information regarding the production and circulation of guitar music, news about concerts, and the dynamics of guitar teaching. With all this, the article aims to explore through this newspaper how the guitar was viewed in Chilean society in Valparaíso at the beginning of the 20th century, and to assess the influence of the newspaper’s notes, ads, and reviews in shaping the social perception of the instrument.