NarcisCo Yepes was the leading Spanish classical guitarist of the generation after Andrea Segovia. Born into a poor family in south-west Spain, Yepes was given his first guitar aged four and by the age of six was daily travelling by mule to a local music school.

At the age of 20, he made his debut in Madrid, playing Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, which he recorded a few years later. His fame spread when he provided the music for films such as Jeux interdits (1952) and La Fille aux yeux d'or (1961).

In the Sixties, Yepes, feeling limited by the traditional six-string guitar, commissioned one with four extra bass strings, designed to resonate in sympathy with those plucked. He felt this ten-string guitar was more appropriate when playing arrangements of piano pieces by Manuel de Falla and Isaac Albniz. He also persuaded several contemporary composers to write for it.

Segovia, however, called the ten-string instrument a "monstrosity" and Julian Bream, after using a similar guitar, decided the traditional version was more expressive.

As well as the Spanish repertoire, Yepes played much baroque music by Telemann, Scarlatti and others. He died in 1997, aged 69.

-Roger Moodiman, Marine Parade, Brighton