Guerau was born on 25 August 1649 in Palma de Mallorca. In 1659 he entered Madrid’s Real Colegio de Niños Cantores de la Capilla Real as a choirboy and trained there. In 1669 he became an alto and composer at the royal chapel; in 1693 he became chamber musician to King Charles II. In 1694 he became maestro, choirmaster and teacher of the Real Colegio, a post he held until 1701. Under Philip V he was appointed chaplain of the royal chapel. He died on 25 October 1722 in Madrid.

Guerau is known for his 1694 Madrid publication Poema harmónico compuesto de varias cifras por el temple de la guitarra española, a book of guitar compositions. Most are passacalles, though other Spanish dances also appear, such as jácaras, marizápalos, españoletas and folías. The source places him, with Gaspar Sanz and Santiago de Murcia, among the most significant Baroque guitarist-composers in Spain. Its discography lists a recording of the Poema harmónico by Hopkinson Smith on Naïve Records (2002).

Sources:

• https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Guerau
• https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3307893