The Definitive Piece.

[thedrizzle]

I was wondering what people would consider as THE definitive piece of music in the guitar repertoire, the one that "every guitarist should learn." I know that there probably is no such thing but want to hear what everone has to say.

I guess my vote would have to go to either Tarrega's "Capricho Arabe" or Albeniz's "Leyenda" (even though it is a transcription)

I think these two pieces represent the character and spirit of the classical guitar tradition. They are not my favorite pieces and they are played a lot but, they are iconic pieces in the repertoire.

[Libre]

Recuerdos de la Alhambra.
I think it's the best guitar piece ever.
The problem with it is, if it's not played well - it's torture for the player and the audience. But if it's played well, it's sublime.

[condeclaro]

thedrizzle, thank you for stepping up to the plate! I am new here but I think we needed something light like this that everyone can participate in.

J. Turina Sonata for Guitar Op. 61

It was written during the burgeoning of a new era for guitar and says something about the past and future of the instrument...plus its beautiful and exciting.

[Mister Lovaguitara]

I can say definite... but Sor - Grand Solo Op. 14 in one of my favorite and one of the most beautiful pieces for guitar in that style IM. it one of those pieces the brings the best out of the guitarist since it is very musical and great fun to play and get into also.

Recuerdos do la alhambra is another classic, Canarios by Gasper Sanz, Sonata by Torroba - the first extended piece for guitar and written for Andres Segovia is on of the best when played well also.

There are just so many beautiful pieces... but I tried to answer your question the best that I can.

[nitz]

great thread driz. i'm going to say the homenaje pour le tombeau de claude debussy by manuel de falla. it's a great (though short) piece, technically accessible to a pretty wide range of players and one of the most important works in the repertoire. it's a tough call, though. the most iconic guitar work, especially if you ask a non-guitarist or someone not all that familiar with the whole repertoire, might be the concierto de aranjuez. not a solo piece, or as technically accessible or easy to program as falla's homenaje, but who doesn't love it...

[Chalcol]

Good thread, just music so far, not wishing to ambush it, but a slight diversion from the original context.

I am in mid struggle with Recuerdos do la alhambra at present, which I agree is right up there with the best, and it has occurred to me that whenever I play some pieces for people one of their favourites is Romance. Which prompts my question for the collective wisdom of this forum 'what other pieces are as equally simple to play but still as effective as this piece?' It is so ridiculously simple to play I wondered if there were other worth learning that will quickly expand my reportoire without takeing the many hours of dutiful toil like the Tarrega. Unfortunately I don't have 4 hours a day in which I can indulge.

Apologies to those of you to whom this seems like a dumb question, but I'm not quite as steeped in the classical guitar culture as some on this forum, so please allow.

[thedrizzle]

So many great pieces, I totally forgot about the Aranjuez, I'm sure the adagio has insired legions of folks to pick up the classical guitar.

Chalcol- have you tried some of Tarrega's other pieces such as Adelita, Lagrima, or Study in E minor. The E minor study is pretty similar to the Romance.

[JoeAlders]

The Definitive Piece……………….

‘………..the one that "every guitarist should learn………"

The Great Maestro Segovia used to say in his autobiography:

‘piece de resistance’ when it comes to ‘impressing the audience’

and that is what I recommend as ‘The definitive piece’:
Play a piece, no matter what (and of course I do not mean a beginners one),
that will impress the audience.

Joe.

[brian richardson]

if transcriptions are allowed,
then granados-spanish dance #5

if not, then-
aguados-rondo in a minor op.2 no.3

but then again you've the villa lobos etudes.

never mind i can't pick just one

[Chalcol]

Chalcol- have you tried some of Tarrega's other pieces such as Adelita, Lagrima, or Study in E minor. The E minor study is pretty similar to the Romance.

Thanks for this I will check them out, my trouble is most of my recordings are on vinyl, that dates me, so I must get my collection back up to speed on some new fangled format, lets face it my iPod still has 39.5gig lof space eft to fill, so itunes here I come.

That raises another point - I spent a fortune on my Hi Fi mainly in oredr to play perfect classical guitar and piano music, now mp3's appear and quality's out of the window, funny old world.

Any more suggestions?

[khayes]

Chalcol - if you have lots of vinyl, I think there are now available USB turntables that will convert your vinyl to MP3's. They're reasonably priced.

[Chalcol]

Chalcol - if you have lots of vinyl, I think there are now available USB turntables that will convert your vinyl to MP3's. They're reasonably priced.
_________________
Ken

Yes I've heard of these, but not yet seen or heard one. My inertia has been caused by being a Linn Sondek man for so many years until I finally accepted that CD players had caught up, so any other turntable has seemed pointless. However, it gets me nowhere, so thanks for the suggestion I'll track one down and give it a listen.

Does anyone have knowledge of these and how good the quality is?

[cool9]

Chaconne by Bach. It has all the elements of a challenging guitar piece including most of all, endurance. But not everyone can learn it. It takes a master to play this, of course. (I heard that Parkening's recording was spliced every few inches or so. That's ashame.)

[Chalcol]

(I heard that Parkening's recording was spliced every few inches or so. That's ashame.)

Isn't this cheating? Still worth considering, even I can get pieces right a few bars at a time, now where did I put those scissors....

[gitarplyar]

Chalcol, you might consider a couple of simplier pieces which I really like, Canco Del Lladre by Llobet, and Guarania by Hector Ayala. "Recuerdos" is just to hard, (for me). Another pretty piece and relatively easy is Sonetto em e menor by Noguiera.

[Chalcol]

Thanks again for the tips, some I know others not so I shall check them out. I should say it's hard, or rather as I've found these pieces just take too much time both to learn and practice. It is surprising how much better one gets by playing until your fingers fall off. I just don't at present have that time. So easier, but effective is just what i need to help morale.

Question: I'm a rubbish sight reader, but can anyone just pick up a piece and instantly sight read it? I have friends who can on piano, but because the guitar has more than one middle C etc. it is less straight forward. Can really good players cope with this regardless? Sorry this is a sideline, so a simple yes or no will do.

[MSG]

Did I miss something? I thought you were leaving the message board.

[samwise]

drizzle:
Augustin Barrios - La Catedral : Allegro Solemne
Gaspar Sanz - Canarios

Chalcol:
JS Bach - Prelude in c minor

[brolio]

That depends on wheter you are playing for yourself or a group of guitarists or a casual audiance. I think this originated as if playing for yourself or other guitarists. Everyone else seems to like Bach. Most likely, Jesus, Joy of Mans Desire, Bourree. Some of the pieces mentioned require great tremelo and there are a lot of excellent players who stay away from pieces with tremelo. I would need to go back, listen to Segovia and try to determine which piece is his most defining; to me any way. Though this has changed over the years, 35 years ago it would have been the English Suite.

[thedrizzle]

That depends on wheter you are playing for yourself or a group of guitarists or a casual audiance. I think this originated as if playing for yourself or other guitarists. Everyone else seems to like Bach. Most likely, Jesus, Joy of Mans Desire, Bourree. Some of the pieces mentioned require great tremelo and there are a lot of excellent players who stay away from pieces with tremelo. I would need to go back, listen to Segovia and try to determine which piece is his most defining; to me any way. Though this has changed over the years, 35 years ago it would have been the English Suite.


I'm asking you as a player/afficionado what YOU think is a definitive piece, forget the audience for a moment and let your heart answer. What piece means the most to you and why.

[Travis_Warner]

Recuerdos do la alhambra is a great piece, but a little too difficult for my skills as of yet, right now, my definitive piece would have the be Sor's Prelude in Bm...i just can't play it enough, and it sounds great on any guitar!

[spanishyturk]

I think of La Cathederal as Definitive Guitar Music.
I love listening to it because it is a good piece of music,But there is so many good guitar music that we are really spoilt for choice.
So why have I chosen a piece by Barrios.
He is the ultimate guitarist/composer and if you know about his life and times you can only have affection for him.
And also the fact that he made Segovia **** his pants when he played La Cathederal to him.And that just edges it for me.

[rdc1991]

How about Sueno en la Floresta by Barrios or the Grand Overture by Giuliani or Capricho Arabe and Sor's Variations from the Magic Flute. That is my 4 nominations.

Rowdy

[Dave Olsson]

Well, it's not a guitar piece originally, but for me, the piece that inspires and moves me the most is the prelude to BWV 1006 by Bach. While I had listened to classical guitar for a long time prior, hearing that the first time made me want to get serious about playing. I have about a dozen different versions of the thing, as well as some violin and orchestral versions. This is probably unfair, but my opinion of any particular high profile guitarist rests largely on how they play this piece. I think that, like "Recuerdos", it can be approached as merely a technical exercise, but again, like "Recuerdos", a good player finds a LOT more in it.

[K.O3EPOBA]

Thanks again for the tips, some I know others not so I shall check them out. I should say it's hard, or rather as I've found these pieces just take too much time both to learn and practice. It is surprising how much better one gets by playing until your fingers fall off. I just don't at present have that time. So easier, but effective is just what i need to help morale.

Question: I'm a rubbish sight reader, but can anyone just pick up a piece and instantly sight read it? I have friends who can on piano, but because the guitar has more than one middle C etc. it is less straight forward. Can really good players cope with this regardless? Sorry this is a sideline, so a simple yes or no will do.

Yes.

[Techmanac]

I was wondering what people would consider as THE definitive piece of music in the guitar repertoire, the one that "every guitarist should learn." I know that there probably is no such thing but want to hear what everone has to say.

I guess my vote would have to go to either Tarrega's "Capricho Arabe" or Albeniz's "Leyenda" (even though it is a transcription)

I think these two pieces represent the character and spirit of the classical guitar tradition. They are not my favorite pieces and they are played a lot but, they are iconic pieces in the repertoire.

are you asking what is the Stairway to Heaven of classical guitar like you said Albeniz's Leyenda/Asturias

Or i would say, would be..........................WOW thats a hard question.

[Chalcol]

Thanks K.O3EPOBA

Cool.

Are you one of them?

[brian richardson]

Chalcol-
i've always had a knack for sight reading
makes up for my dreadful theory skills.

[classicalguitar83]

This is a tough question. There are so many pieces out there that you can say "everyone should know". As far as favorites (my personal favorites):

Anything by Torroba and Ponce.

I love Torroba's works. There's something about his compositional style that is just joyful. My favorite composition of his is the Sonatina in A, especially the 2nd movement. I particularly like his Estampas for guitar quartet, more specifically La Boda (I forget which movement that is). My favorite Ponce pieces are the Suite in A minor and Sonata Mexicana ( I say that because those are the pieces I listen to the most. There are several of his that I love).

[Chalcol]

Hi Brian

You are a lucky man, that's a skill worth having and difficult to learn if you don't have a natural aptitude for it. I struggle with sight reading and am in awe of those who find it realtively easy and make it look so simple, when it is clearly not. As for theory...well I passed my grades a long ago and I would now struggle at grades 4-5, so I'm no better there either. Hey ho.

[Great Googly Moogly]

drizzle:
Augustin Barrios - La Catedral : Allegro SolemneI think of La Cathederal as Definitive Guitar Music.
I love listening to it because it is a good piece of music, But there is so many good guitar music that we are really spoilt for choice.
So why have I chosen a piece by Barrios.
He is the ultimate guitarist/composer and if you know about his life and times you can only have affection for him.
And also the fact that he made Segovia s**t his pants when he played La Cathederal to him.And that just edges it for me.
How about Sueno en la Floresta by Barrios.

RowdyI'm going to have to go with samwise and spanishyturk for my first choice, although I'll have add the Preludio (Even though it was added after the fact, it so needs to be the first movement of this piece, IMO) and Andante Religioso. I actually don't care for Andante Religioso that much but it was the original inspiration for the title and it makes me enjoy Allegro Solemne all the more, once it finally gets there. And for my second choice, I'm definitely going with Rowdy. Great Barrios comments, spanishyturk. Couldn't agree more.

BH