Classical Guitar

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Mr.C

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I've become interested in solo classical guitar recently (via a very strange musical route...it started with death metal :) ). Any recommendations about where exactly to start? - both composers and musicians. LP and CD recommendations are both welcome.

Thanks
 
The Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez and Fantasia para un gentilhombre are the obvious entry-points - this is an absolutely cracking recording of both (Carlos Bonell guitar / Charles Dutoit conducting in Montreal). Malcolm Arnold's concerto is a fine work too, though not quite so essential as Rodrigo.

Edit: rereading the original post, I'd have to concede that none of those works are actually for guitar solo per se. Unfortunately that's where my knowledge of the guitar repertoire pretty much runs out :)
 
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I havent a very large classical guitar selection. I think I have less than ten titles.

I do prefer to listen to flamenco guitar than traditional classical pieces.

On LP you can pick up classical guitar pieces by people like john williams and julian bream for just a pound or two. You can also occasionally pick up flamenco bargains too, but these are a little harder to find sometimes.

If you'd like to listen to an album with a lot of flamenco guitar in it, but also some normal acoustic guitar, an album with all sorts of instruments in it (purists would hate it), but I have played it so often that I've nearly worn the disc out. It's one of my favourite CD's..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...95572/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_8_2/026-3683553-9918844
 
Mr C, you will probably be aware that Paco de Lucia is often cited as the current Godfather of classical guitar. His later stuff is, erm, contemporary and his early stuff quite traditional. I have various bits and pieces. I also have the classic Friday Night in San Francisco concert with him, Al di Meola and John McLaughlin. Paco was a bit new to all this apparently and di Meola (using a pick) sounds impressive and whips the US crowd up in places. My guitar teacher tells me Paco quickly got the hang of this stuff and by the time they did another one his speed and tehcnique (sans pick of course) was showing through.

Nice bursts of flamenco can turn up in odd places whether Buddha-Bar type music or in amongst Windham Hill artists as a couple of examples. Although I have a number of Williams and Bream and need them to learn from in time I have more of a passion for more modern music using flamenco guitar to good effect. I can struggle with the purist flamenco with its, erm, classic, structure and much wailing in those days before medication from the toothache, headache or whatever pain the singers appear to be suffering from!

All that I refer to so far I have on vinyl but there are cheap CD collections around of course such as "Guitar Music of Spain and LAtin America" that I have on "Recording Arts Dejavu Retro Gold Collection" R2CD 42-77" with pieces by Segovia, Oyanguren, de Lucia and others.

Paul
 
alanbeeb said:
try this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...7591/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_11_1/202-2546133-6703807

In fact, there are probably several safe bets of collections of spanish guitar music performed by John Williams or Julian Bream. Music by composers such as Albeniz, Tarrega, Torroba, Turina, Granados etc is probably what you are looking for.
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I have a similar collection. This one, like mine, has a rendition of "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" by Tarrega and if that doesn't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and almost move you to tears then you have a heart of stone :) . If you think you recognize it it's because Mike Oldfield, ahem, "borrowed" the tune for his (excellent) soundtrack music for "The Killing Fields".

Michael.
 
Replies much appreciated everyone, thanks. I've dived in and ordered some of your recommended discs, waiting for them to arrive now.
 

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