Thread: Classical guitar

I have been a classical guitarist for awhile now and am curious what everyone's favourite pieces/composers are as well as the guitar played.
I prefer Sor,Rodrigo,Albeniz,Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Villa-Lobos for composers.

I currently own and play a Cordoba Dolce.



I only wish i had more time to play and practice!!! Drats!

Jim

Sor,Rodrigo,Albeniz,Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Villa-Lobos

I'm not a huge fan of Sor, a bit too Classical classical for my liking, if you understand what I mean, and Castelnuovo-Tedesco I've never heard of (though I am now going to go and find out). The others though I can totally agree with, particularly Villa-Lobos, who's guitar compositions I've just undertaken the task of learning the entirity of.

My other loves include Dowland, my first love, who inspired me to take up the lute, and remains one of the few people who can make me stick to simple tonality and harmony in my own compositions (I do find it hard to write with any particular key in mind, needed though it may sometimes be).

I also enjoy modern composers such as Brouwer, Frank Martin, Britten, Schoenberg and Berio. Unfortunately, some of these seldom write for guitar, and I have recently started learning cello pieces of theirs in order to get my avant-garde fixes!

My guitar is a Rodriguez C Series. Not the best guitar in the world, but good enough for now.

Actually glad you brought up the topic.

I would not say that I play well, but I enjoy classical guitar. As a side note I played steel string as a teen. As an adult I would lament that I wished I learned a classical instrument and not wasted my time with guitar.

Of course then I looked into current players of classical guitar like Ana Vidovic. Then I thought with books I could use what I had learned and salvage that knowledge in classical guitar.

I play a Guild classical guitar. My steel string is a Guild and not used anymore. I have always liked them. It is fine but not in the same line as many other classical guitars. I paid around $799.00 for it. I consider it an introductory model.

I enjoy any classical played on Guitar, you will no doubt have heard of 'Gabriel Bianco' the winner of the 2008 Guitar foundation of America, I have his CD a recital of Bach,Koshkin and Mertz such great playing. I think he is about a 19-20 year old, fantastic playing for one so young

I love classical guitar but if I must chose, however blahsay it may be, I vote for Cannon in D!

I wouldn't class myself as a classial guitarist but I do own one (an Alhambra 4p) and have actually been playing classical more than electric or steel string lately to get my sight reading up to scratch.

My favourite composers for guitar would probably be Carcassi, Barrios-Mangore, Giuliani, Legnani and Mertz. I seem to prefer 19th century Romantic-style composers the most and definitely prefer to play pieces with nice, easy open chords as opposed to constant difficult stretches and barres.

I love Paganini for guitar. Bach has always been great for guitar.
Although I am not very good with classical guitar, I like learning it. Right now I don't have a classical guitar. I just have a regular acoustic.

I'm a big fan of Tarrega, Carcassi, Albeniz, Villa-Lobos, Bach, etc.

How well can you play? Can you play all of Albeniz' Suite Espagnole?

Since I've determined to be a multi-instrumentalist in some capacity for once (I've only played viola the last several years and dabbled a bit in piano), and since I also have a really nice guitar in the house, I figured I would start into classical guitar. I don't really know guitar very much, so the last few days have just been exploring the instrument, figuring out the intervals between the strings and the frets that span each string, and getting used to overall position (really hard for me to get over) and range.

Now I don't really know how to "officially" start on classical guitar. Ideas?

(Note: I did read the OP in which handlebar outlined the idea of favorite composers/pieces/guitars, but as that has since seemed to go by the wayside I figured that this generic a thread title could serve other uses as well... if handlebar doesn't mind, of course!)

Originally Posted by World Violist

Now I don't really know how to "officially" start on classical guitar. Ideas?

With chords maybe? Learning the most common chord figures are basics and important in breaking your fingers limits. And what about playing pieces that you are currently playing on viola with guitar to faster familiarize with pitch positions? Even if they are not beginner's standards. You can't start with beginner's standards like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star having your hand already trained on other instrument. I may be wrong because I was in opposite situation to yours (started playing violin after learning guitar).

Originally Posted by Aramis

With chords maybe? Learning the most common chord figures are basics and important in breaking your fingers limits. And what about playing pieces that you are currently playing on viola with guitar to faster familiarize with pitch positions? Even if they are not beginner's standards. You can't start with beginner's standards like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star having your hand already trained on other instrument. I may be wrong because I was in opposite situation to yours (started playing violin after learning guitar).

That sounds like a good idea. No, I'm definitely not going to start with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. That much I had already figured out on my own.

Thanks for the suggestions!

These guys are pretty good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knghI...eature=related

Originally Posted by BeethovenListener

These guys are pretty good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knghI...eature=related

that video reminds me on how great and social a guitar can do. I am actually wonder why less famous classical composers did for guitar repertoire. It's seem like to be able to compose a nice work for guitar you need to be a guitarist. Mozart and Beethoven can't, as they are not expert in guitar, but I am sure they know how to play, as guitar is easiest instrument to learn, but hard to mastered.

more guitarist i like :
Pepe Romero - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8ZnO...eature=related

Tommy Emanuel - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lbvS...eature=related
fantastic playing.

John Williams - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcNi-...eature=related

I also like Matteo Carcassi, but look like his compositions only for educational purposes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPFwVmubRBw

Originally Posted by handlebar

I have been a classical guitarist for awhile now and am curious what everyone's favourite pieces/composers are as well as the guitar played.
I prefer Sor,Rodrigo,Albeniz,Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Villa-Lobos for composers.

Its nice to see people who actually like Sor. There are so many unheard and interesting pieces of him.
Personally I like Ponce very much. I can recommend you many pieces -probably you never heard before- if you'd like.

Originally Posted by World Violist

Now I don't really know how to "officially" start on classical guitar. Ideas?

I think you should start with a good book, and stick with it. It'll help you see how you are progessing. There are many great books out there. I recommend Frederick Noad's Solo Guitar Playing Book 1 & 2.

I hope this helps.

Noad's method is a good one. That's that one that I used to get into Classical Guitar. I don't play as much as I used to, because I've been focusing more on violin in the past while.

Of the music I was playing, I enjoyed Sor a lot. For something more modern, check out Carl Domeniconi. Kinda neat stuff.