Sweet, gentle tones and resonance: A selection of enchanting classical guitar masterpieces
When people hear “guitar,” many probably picture an acoustic or electric guitar, but just as classical music forms the foundation of contemporary music, classical guitar is indispensable when talking about string instruments.
That said, for those who aren’t sure where to start listening, we’ve gathered beloved masterpieces from around the world—from gentle, soothing pieces to dazzling virtuoso works.
Please enjoy the classical guitar’s sweet, mellow timbre and its rich, resonant sound!
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Sweet, gentle tones and resonance. A selection of enchanting classical guitar masterpieces (41–50)
SalvadorEgberto Gismonti
Egberto Gismonti, a Brazilian guitarist and pianist, studied music under renowned classical teachers, and as his pieces gradually began to be performed by classical guitarists, I think it’s now fair to include him in the classical realm.
His powerful Brazilian rhythms and astounding virtuosity make him, in my view, one of today’s geniuses.
OdeonErnesto Júlio Nazareth
The boom of the Spanish guitar spread across the sea to Latin America, its trading partner, where it also became popular.
Sinopoli was an Argentine composer and became one of the roots of the guitar-centered music known as Argentine folklore.
Nazareth’s music features the strong rhythms characteristic of South American music.
Arabesque RhapsodyFrancisco Tárrega
Composed by Francisco Tárrega, “Capricho Árabe.” As the title suggests, it evokes Arabian imagery—magic carpets and lamps unfurl before you.
Think of it as an adult version of Disney’s Aladdin.
It’s a fantastical piece that I think anyone can enjoy.
Please give it a listen!
A Fantasia for a Certain Noble DeityJoaquín Rodrigo
Rodrigo, who wrote the most famous classical guitar concerto, the Concierto de Aranjuez, also composed another splendid concerto: the Fantasía para un gentilhombre.
It incorporates various forms of Spanish dance.
In Praise of DebussyManuel de Falla
Through the triangular trade with the Americas and Africa, Latin music began to blend with the music of Africa and of Central and South America, and this in turn influenced classical music.
Debussy’s adoption of the habanera rhythm from Cuba is well known, but this piece was the one that brought that rhythm into guitar music, marking the starting point of Central and South America’s emergence as a great powerhouse of the guitar.
SarabandeJ.S.Bach
Sarabande is one of Bach’s well-known pieces on the piano.
While it’s wonderful on piano or harpsichord, the guitar has a special charm too.
The guitar’s tone makes it feel familiar and everyday.
Although Bach is famous for church music, when played on guitar his music feels approachable, so I recommend it to everyone.
Please give it a listen.
SonataManuel Ponce
Latin music that crossed over to the United States also blossomed in Mexico.
Many pieces with a distinctive folk-like resonance unlike other classical genres went on to become one of the hallmarks of the classical guitar, and Ponce’s sonata is a masterpiece that embodies both modernity and national character.
Collection of Hymns to the Virgin Mary
It began with Alfonso X in Spain compiling stories about the Virgin Mary.
From over 400 pieces, several short works have been gathered here.
The solemn sound evokes an image of how people of the time might have told these stories—perhaps even on the street.
He is one of the most famous guitarists in Japan and often appeared on television.
SceneryEmilio Pujol
Tárrega’s distinguished pupil Pujol also left many wonderful works.
This piece, played with arpeggios even more beautiful than those in “Romance (Forbidden Games),” shifts through various keys, painting in sound a succession of landscapes from central to southern Spain.
Cinema ParadisoEnnio Morricone
Ennio Morricone’s work, “Cinema Paradiso.” It’s a piece well-known from the film.
It feels like a collection of different melodies.
It’s a wonderful composition that expresses themes like brightness, tenderness, and sadness.
The impression changes again depending on the instrument—piano, violin, guitar, and so on.
Highly recommended: “Cinema Paradiso.” Please give it a listen.