Joan

Joan Carles Amat

Monistrol de Montserrat , 1572
Monistrol de Montserrat , 10 de febrer de 1642

Performer i Teacher

Guitarist

He graduated in medicine at the University of Valencia in 1595. He lived in Valencia and Lleida. He worked as a doctor in Monistrol de Montserrat and in the monastery between 1618 and 1630. He was working in Monistrol's public service from 1637 and became the city's mayor in 1642. He published medical treaties in Lyon and Geneva. More importantly, he wrote the first treatise on the guitar ever published (Guitarra española y vandola, en dos maneras de guitarra castellana y catalana de cinco órdenes), in which tonality is used in the modern sense and the techniqes of plucking and strumming are discussed. Although there is evidence it was published in Barcelona in 1596 the oldest surviving copy is dated 1626 and published in Lleida. In the 18th century, it was published with the addition of some chapters, such as Tractat breu y explicacio dels punts de la guitarra written in Catalan.