Guitar Music?

[monafam]

I was curious if anyone had any unsung guitar pieces or otherwise written by unsung composers that they might want to recommend?

It seems like there isn't a lot of music specifically written for the guitar -- hopefully I'm wrong on this.  I am not looking for a piece written for another instrument that is later arranged for a guitar -- not that they can't be beautiful pieces, but I'm looking for ones specifically written for the guitar.

Thanks!

[John H White]

I seem to remember once hearing a guitar concerto by some Spanish composer, but that was quite along time ago. Maybe someone else can supply the details.

[Mark Thomas]

Joaqin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez? There must be quite a few Spanish guitar concertos.

[Kevin Pearson]

I don't know who would qualify as Unsung but I know of a few guitar concertos worth checking out.

Mauro Giuliani - Guitar Concerto in A major Op. 30
Heitor Villa-Lobos - Guitar Concerto for Orchestra (1951)
Manuel Ponce - Concierto del sur

A more modern concerto, but in my opinion most beautiful, would be a guitar concerto written and performed by the jazz guitarist John McLaughlin. It's called The Mediterranean.



Kevin

[febnyc]

In fact there are many compositions written specifically for guitar with all sorts of accompaniment.  Paganini utilized the guitar as a solo instrument and in concert with others (guitar & violin for example).

Joaquin Rodrigo wrote a number of concertos for the guitar, or for more than one guitar.  Besides the two best known, I'd recommend Concierto Andaluz and Concierto Madrigal.

Naxos has recorded two guitar concertos by the prolific American composer Alan Hovhaness.  They are very good and awfully appealing.  Also this label did a wonderful, a bit more modern-sounding Concierto Mágico for Guitar & Orchestra, by Leonardo Balada (b.1933).

We must mention Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco - particularly his fine guitar concertos in D and C major.  Federico Moreno Torroba, known for his brilliant zarzuelas, also composed for the guitar.

For the most lush and romantic solo pieces, try those of Augustín Barrios; there are many recital discs of these works.  His eighteenth-century predecessor, Fernando Sor is another to seek out.

Jean Françaix wrote a delicious and witty (what else from this composer?) Concerto for Guitar & Harp.

And, finally, in the 1820s Mauro Giuliani wrote six suites, each entitled Rossiniana.  These masterpieces are based upon arias from Rossini operas and meant for solo guitar.  Only virtuosos need apply to perform these!

[TerraEpon]

If you're going to mention modern stuff in the romantic vein, the 'other' Bernstein, Elmer, wrote a wonderful and very not-Spanish guitar concerto. The last movement tends to get a lot of play on the radio.
(I also greatly enjoy that McLaughlin one).

If you want something a bit more 20th century, there's two by Hovhaness on a pair of Naxos discs that are greatly enjoyable if you like his music.

Astor Piazzolla wrote a concerto for bandoneon and guitar. It's very Piazzolla.

Villa-Lobos in addition to the guitar concerto also wrote Introduction to the Choros for guitar and orchestra.

Preven wrote a concerto -- it's quite modern.

Walton orchestrated his five bagatelles (originally for solo guitar) for guitar and orchestra.

There's also Malcom Arnold's concerto, which has a VERY beautiful middle movement.

And finally, beyond Rodrigo's two overplayed (yet great) pieces, he also wrote another solo concerto, Concierto Para Una Fiesta, as well as Concerto Madrigal for two guitars and orchestra, and Concierto Andaluz for FOUR guitars and orchestra.

[febnyc]

Hmmmm...well, now we have two votes for the Rodrigos and the Hovhanesses.   

[Kevin Pearson]

Hmmmm...well, now we have two votes for the Rodrigos and the Hovhanesses.   

And don't forget two votes for the McLaughlin!

Kevin

[Hovite]

I was curious if anyone had any unsung guitar pieces or otherwise written by unsung composers that they might want to recommend?

Besides the aforementioned Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ponce, and Rodrigo, I would add Bacarisse: Concertino for Guitar and Orchestra.

[febnyc]

Hmmmm...well, now we have two votes for the Rodrigos and the Hovhanesses.   

And don't forget two votes for the McLaughlin!

Kevin

Whoops - sorry.  It appears to be a three-way tie for first place in the voting.

[monafam]

Thanks for the replies!  I have some music to checkout!

[JimL]

Actually, Mauro Giuliani composed three concertos for guitar.  The first two, both in A Major are for guitar and strings only, the third, in F, is scored for solo terzetto guitar (smaller than a regular guitar and tuned a third higher, IIRC) and full orchestra (although usually only the strings accompany the soloist).  There was an old Phillips LP (re-released on CD) featuring one of the Romeros (I think Angel) playing all 3 with (if I'm not mistaken) Sir Neville and the AOSMOTF.  There was another Italian early Romantic guitarist/composer, Fernando Carulli who composed three concertos.  I've only heard one - a single (or single extant) movement in A.

[Hofrat]

In the first version of what will eventually be Schumann's 4th symphony, the composer scored guitars in the slow movement.  Quite quickly he gave up on that experiment.

[Amphissa]

As a guitarist myself (no longer active), I have hundreds of CDs of guitar music. In addition to the ones already noted, I'll mention --

Vivaldi wrote some guitar concertos.

Of the living composers of guitar concertos, I admire those of Leo Brouwer (more precisely Juan Leovigildo Brouwer Mezquida). He has written 11 of them (although one is a variations on Beatles melodies that I don't really consider a concerto). Of them, I like the 5th Concerto "Helsinki" best. The often-difficult disparity of volume between guitar and orchestra is managed very well by Brouwer.

Another living composer/guitarist is Egberto Gismonti. His first record is a good introduction -- Danca das Cabecas. But it is hard to place him. Is his music modern classical? He studied with Nadia Boulanger. Brazilian? Jazz? Whatever it is, I certainly like that album a lot.

I will also mention two specific works -- concertos for two guitars, one by Rodrigo and the other by Tedesco. The best performances I've run across of these works is by the outstanding brother duo -- Sergio and Odair Assad.

I hunt down everything I can find by these two and go see them anytime they are performing within 100 miles. Everything they play is exemplary. They always include original works on their CDs as well. I highly recommend all CDs you can find featuring the two together or separately. (Sergio is the more talented composer/arranger. Odair is the more virtuoso guitarist. Together ....)

Here they are in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n60V6ukmJog&fmt=18

And although you did not want transcriptions, I'll mention one that I think was quite well done. John Williams did a transcription of Schubert's Arpeggione Concerto that was really very engaging.

[TerraEpon]

Vivaldi wrote some guitar concertos.

...no he didn't. He wrote mandolin concerti very often played on the guitar, but wrote nothing for the guitar specifically.