Spanish Classical?

I know aproximately nothing of classical music!

I was listening to radio a few weeks ago and they played a piece that to me sounded like classical but also with spanish guitar,
Any idea what it was?
I would like to find more like it

 

Wow, now you've asked something! Lots of Spanish composers wrote for their national instrument, not only solo pieces but also orchestral concertos. I'll have a fossick and see what I can find at home. Spanish composers are the backbone of the solo guitar repertoire.

A good starter would be the records made by Julian Bream and John Williams (there's a previous guitar thread that mentions them). I think the two albums now come one one CD. The Romero family, separately and together, have recorded many pieces, including some specially commissioned ones.

 

Thanks Tones

I think it was more of the orchestral type with guitar in it
tho i like spanish guitar anyway, i feel i need to expand my music

 

I think Rodrigo wrote a guitar concerto and there might be others but they're pretty rare as it's quite hard for the relatively quiet classical guitar to make itself heard above a full orchestra!

Michael.

 

Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is one ot the staples of the guitar repertoire. Here it is with the Fantasia para un Gentilhombre:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...364/sr=1-13/ref=sr_1_0_13/026-7154424-4686065

Another goodie is the Concierto de Andaluz, written for the Romero family and recorded twice by them, the latter time with the ASMF on Philips. I couldn't find this on Amazon, but I know it's still in the catalogue. It's a pleasant, tuneful piece (Rodrigo wrote real, i.e., approachable) music.

P.S. I take that back - here's the original recording with the San Antonio Orchestra (I have it on vinyl):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...89690/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_2_4/026-7154424-4686065

 

Thanks Tones
2 on the xmas list

 

Yep, Tones bet me to it. I was going to mention those 2 particular pieces. They are not only staples of the guitar repertoire, but also staples of Classic FM - I'm assuming you heard the piece of music you're refering to on there Pen?

Another composer to look out for is Villa-Lobos for guitar and orcehstral music, although he's Brizilian, practically the same thing on the cultural heritage front!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...3376/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_10_2/026-2873985-6917259

 

yep Henry, got me, it was classicFM

Another on the list, keep em comin

 

Careful! BOTH have the Concierto de Aranjuez!

To avoid this, get the Concierto de Andaluz on the later Philips recording with Nev and the ASMF - it's 400 024-2. It's coupled with a Concierto Madrigal for 2 guitars and orchestra, again written especially for Los Romeros.

Others to look out for are the Giuliani guitar concertos, delightfully tuneful pieces. Vivaldi guitar stuff is also good value.

 

thanks again

ill alter my xmas list
had a listen to the samples on amazon, wasnt what i had heard before, but very nice all the same.
The stuff i heard on classicFM was more, um, mournful maybe

 

Could have been the second movement of the Aranjuez, that's pretty mournful

 

Ah yes, forgot about old Viv! His "Concerto In D" is one of faves, I prefer the guitar to the alternative (original?) arrangement for mandolin of this particular piece, just because I like the sound classical/spanish guitar.

Here's another possible disc suggestion for you Pen:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00002MXYO/qid=1069708596/026-2873985-6917259

Could kill two birds with one stone with the above, as it's a double disc set and has both the two famous Rodrigo pieces, Villa Lobos and Vivaldi already mentioned all together.

Came across the above disc as Classic FM played a track from it earlier on this evening just before 8pm: A guitair concerto by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco - nope I've never heard of him before either!

http://www.classicfm.com/index.cfm?nodeId=288&full_path=

 

all good stuff,
Ill be getting a few of those for sure

New i could rely on asking here

 

If you fancy something a bit more recent but still clearly Spanish via Latin-America and pleasant to listen to, try Astor Piazzolla