Classical guitar music

[hrvojej]

I'm in need of an advice, and I know that among patorns here we have accomplished guitarists as well as connoiseurs of classical music, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I have a birthday coming up for a young aspiring guitarists that I know, and I would like to buy him some classical guitar CDs. However, I must admit that my knowledge of classical guitar music is worse than I would like it to be. Therefore, I would be very interested to hear recommendations of some good pieces to check out. I'm not looking for rock, jazz, or anything of that sort, I can handle that and he already has plenty of those as well, but rather I would give him something that would broaden his horizons as a musician. I doesn't necessarily have to be something technically very demanding, or by someone famous, just something to give him a feel for classical music written for and performed on guitar(s). Oh, and it doesn't need to be music for solo guitar either, quartets etc. would do fine as well.

Thanks for the advice!

Cheers,

[Adrian II]

I'm in need of an advice, and I know that among patorns here we have accomplished guitarists as well as connoiseurs of classical music, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I have a birthday coming up for a young aspiring guitarists that I know, and I would like to buy him some classical guitar CDs. However, I must admit that my knowledge of classical guitar music is worse than I would like it to be. Therefore, I would be very interested to hear recommendations of some good pieces to check out. I'm not looking for rock, jazz, or anything of that sort, I can handle that and he already has plenty of those as well, but rather I would give him something that would broaden his horizons as a musician. I doesn't necessarily have to be something technically very demanding, or by someone famous, just something to give him a feel for classical music written for and performed on guitar(s). Oh, and it doesn't need to be music for solo guitar either, quartets etc. would do fine as well.

Thanks for the advice!

Cheers,

Trouble is, there isn't much classical guitar music, unless you include the Brandenburg Concertos for 35 guitars and a violin. In which case you deserve to be shot in a ditch and left for the vultures.

I know Luigi Boccherini went from Italy to Spain to perform for the Spanish king and decided to stay there, after which he wrote a lot for solo guitar and guitar concertos.

Otherwise, you would have to turn to Spanish guitar music, flamenco. For all practical intents and purposes, flamenco is the classical guitar music.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

My favorite is Al Dimeola. He crosses into fusion but IMO is one of the finest classical guitarists ever. I love spanish guitar.

[Adrian II]

There's Heitor Villa-Lobos, a fine Brazilian composer, who wrote some concertos for guitar. Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez is an evergreen, but not all bad. And De Falla, Albeniz, Granados must have written for guitar. I never heard any of it, sorry, I can't help you there.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Ill stick with Dimeola

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Ever since he burst on the scene as a teenage member of the fusion group Return to Forever, Al Di Meola has reigned as a guitar god in jazz, flamenco, and world music circles. Those genres are well represented on this disc, with guests Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, flutist Alejandro Santos, and World Sinfonia members Gumbi Ortiz (percussion) and Mario Parmisano (keyboards). While Di Meola's lightning licks are still in effect, they are tempered by Old World, classically tinged settings with a dash of '70s-style fusion. Chick Corea's "Señor Mouse" is elegantly reworked, and "Fugata" by the Argentine tango master Astor Piazzolla retains cool and complex contrapuntal lines. Di Meola plays a number of guitars on this date, from a 1958 Les Paul to an Ovation model, but it's all Al Di Meola and it's all good. --Eugene Holley Jr.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4 out of 5 stars Mystic Tranquility, March 14, 2004

Reviewer: Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews

Al DiMeola's music is hard to write about. I have had this CD for more than a year now, and still have difficulty finding the proper words to describe it. It's technical, it's virtuoso, and it's extremely intellectual. There is something about DiMeola's compositions, particularly since Soaring Through A Dream, that is almost trance-inducing.
DiMeola is far more than just another fast guitarist, he is an explorer and a genre-bending virtuoso. With Flesh On Flesh, he shows once again that he is not afraid to take chances with the music of some of the greatest modern composers of other lands. Argentine master Astor Piazzolla has been a long-time favorite of his and in addition to one of AP's compositions, DiMeola offers his interpretation of a work by the renowned Brazilian Egberto Gismonti.
I had feared, as a couple of other reviewers, that the nude woman on the cover was a device to disguise schlock within much as with DiMeola's uninspired Kiss My Axe. To my delight, it was not. The CD is jammed with great music that fills the listener with a feeling of mystic tranquility.
Some reviewers complain of a similarity to other DiMeola works. Perhaps there are superficial similarities with music he has recorded in the past, but beyond that Flesh On Flesh just adds to the catalogue of DiMeola's fine accomplishments. My favorites are the dreamy Innamorata, the Piazzolla classic Fugata, and the mellow Saffire Soleil. I also enjoy the reworking of Senor Mouse, an old standard from Al's Casino album. I am least fond of the title cut, but it does not really detract from the album as a whole.
Over all, Flesh On Flesh is an excellent album that should please most current DiMeola fans as well as attract some new ones. The four stars mean that its not among his very best, but its not at all bad. Check it out!

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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars Jazz At It's Finest!, October 2, 2002

Reviewer: deepbluereview "deepbluereview" (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA USA) - See all my reviews

Since his early days in 1976 with Chick Corea's Return To Forever, Al Di Meola has used his guitar wizardry to produce some amazing music. Having covered everything from jazz to pop, electric and acoustic, Di Meola returns to his roots on the enchanting "Flesh On Flesh". The songs on this disc are complex compositions ranging from the 9 plus minute "Zona Desperata" consisting of three distinct parts to Egberto Gismonti's Brazilian flavored "Meninas" to the Cuban title track "Flesh On Flesh". Al Di Meola creates an emotional roller coaster with this release. This CD covers a lot of ground and may be a little too diverse for some of his fans others though will find it refreshing.

The man is totally amazing. If you like guitar he can do it all.

[Quietus]

Chamber Jazz - Laurindo Almeida It doesn't matter if it is used. It is superb.

I found some samples: Chamber Jazz Listen for yourself.

[hrvojej]

Wow, some quick replies here, thanks!

I was thinking something along the lines of a chamber music, but on guitars, yet that it's not really jazz at the same time. As I said, my knowledge in this area is lacking, so I don't know whether something like that even exists...

[Adrian II]

Wow, some quick replies here, thanks!

I was thinking something along the lines of a chamber music, but on guitars, yet that it's not really jazz at the same time. As I said, my knowledge in this area is lacking, so I don't know whether something like that even exists...

Right now I'm listening to Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra on a Naxos CD. Cheap brand, but Villa-Lobos comes through anyhow.
You'll have my review in, erm, 17 minutes 48 seconds.

EDIT
Sorry, guitar is just not my thing, I'm a bad judge. Go with Gawain and the others.
Of course, you could buy the guy a piano instead!...

[Placid Tramp]

I've played classical and spanish guitar for quite a few years now but when I want to listen to it played properly my favorites artist are Julian Bream, John Williams and Andres Segovia, with my favorite recording possibly "John Williams Plays Bach and Scarlatti". On it there are 2 of Bach's Cello Suites arranged for guitar which I never tire of.

[Mouzafphaerre]

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Segovia of course! How come I skip that. Thanks Placid Tramp.
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[Mouzafphaerre]

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IMHO, best guitar music has been written by romantic (as opposed to classic) "latin" (principally Spanish and Argentinan) composers. Let me check around and try to provide a more concrete list.
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[Mouzafphaerre]

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OK. From the "classics", Fernando Sor is who comes to mind when guitar is mentioned. Then Francisco Tarrega. These are the definitive standards.

Then come Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla. Finally, the influential Argentinan Astor Piazzola.

Hth!
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[Adrian II]

Astor Piazzola

That's primarily music for strings and bandoneons, isn't it?

[Big_John]

yes, piazzolla is known mostly for his bandoneon and string ensemble tangos and such.

i'll repeat what other's have already mentioned as the best composers to look for:

isaac albéniz, joaquín rodrigo, federico torroba, manuel de falla, enrique granados, augustin barrios mangoré and heitor villa-lobos are all standards. also look into luigi boccherini, gaspar sanz, and francisco tarrega.

the best way to introduce someone to such music, imo, would be to look for john williams cds. his "spanish guitar music" and "latin american guitar music" cds (on the sony classical label) are a good sampling. there are many others i'm sure (those are the only ones i own).

[Mouzafphaerre]

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Thanks for reminding Villa-Lobos and Sainz. I'm not sure but Felipe Pedrel must have written some guitar stuff too.
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[Mouzafphaerre]

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That's primarily music for strings and bandoneons, isn't it?

Yes, he's best known for Tango-influenced "serious" music but I'm pretty sure I listened to his guitar music. Don't make me dig out my almost decade old concert programmes collection.
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