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!
Playlist
| Sweet, gentle tones and resonance: A selection of enchanting classical guitar masterpieces | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1east | CavatinaAleksander Tansman |  play_arrow | The Polish composer Tansman is a c... |
| 2east | SunburstAndrew York |  | An American contemporary classical guitarist and… |
| 3east | Forbidden GamesSakkyokusha fushō |  play_arrow | From the film “Forbidden Games,” ‘Romance of Love’… |
| 4east | Memories of the AlhambraFrancisco Tárrega |  play_arrow | A wonderful piece that makes great use of the guitar’s tremolo technique… |
| 5east | AsturiasIsaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz |  play_arrow | Isaac Albéniz was a pianist, and he… |
| 6east | cathedralAgustín Barrios |  play_arrow | La Catedral. A piece famous on the classical guitar, Bari... |
| 7east | Lágrima (Tears)Francisco Tárrega |  play_arrow | “Lágrima (Tears)” is a guitar piece by the guitarist Francis… |
| 8east | Tango on SkyRoland Dyens |  play_arrow | It fully brings out the allure of the classical guitar… |
| 9east | One day in NovemberLeo Brouwer |  play_arrow | In 1972, the Cuban musician Leo Brou… |
| 10east | No. 2 from Introduction and Rondo, Op. 2Drew Henderson |  play_arrow | The maestro of classical guitar born in Spain, … |
| 11east | 24 CapricesNiccolò Paganini |  play_arrow | The genius violinist born in Italy, Ni… |
| 12east | Guitar Sonata, Op. 61Joaquín Turina |  play_arrow | Joaquín, a composer who represents 20th-century Spain... |
| 13east | Child of the Holy MotherKataronia min’yō |  play_arrow | “The Son of the Virgin” is a Catalan folk song, but… |
| 14east | In Praise of ChopinAleksander Tansman |  play_arrow | A work for guitar published in 1966... |
| 15east | Sonata in D minorGiuseppe Domenico Scarlatti |  play_arrow | Giuseppe Domenico, a composer of the Baroque era… |
| 16east | Concerto for Guitar and OrchestraHeitor Villa-Lobos |  play_arrow | One of the most important composers to come out of Brazil, … |
| 17east | Chaconne in C majorIda Presti & Alexandre Lagoya |  play_arrow | The legendary duo of the classical guitar world, I… |
| 18east | Spanish Dance No. 1Manuel de Falla |  play_arrow | Spanish Impressionist composer Manuel de Fa... |
| 19east | Guitar Concerto No. 1, Op. 30Mauro Giuliani Sergio Pantaleo Giuliani |  play_arrow | A renowned guitarist born in early 19th-century Italy... |
| 20east | ToccataSérgio Assad |  play_arrow | The renowned guitarist from Brazil, Sérgio A... |
| 21east | La Source du LysonNapoléon Coste |  play_arrow | Guitar music from the Romantic era onward is... |
| 22east | Paraguayan Dance No. 1Agustín Barrios |  play_arrow | Barrios was even called a magician of the guitar… |
| 23east | The following day, Un Día DespuésREY GUERRA |  play_arrow | Composed by Rey Guerra, “The Following Day Un …” |
| 24east | Spanish Suite No. 1 “Granada”Isaac Albéniz |  play_arrow | In the modern era, in peripheral regions of classical music, “national music... |
| 25east | Concierto de AranjuezJoaquín Rodrigo |  play_arrow | Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo, "A... |
| 26east | Nostalgia ChoroAgustín Pío Barrios |  play_arrow | Composed by Barrios, Chôro da Saudade. Guitar… |
| 27east | A Cuban landscape with ringing bellsLeo Brouwer |  play_arrow | The pieces by Cuban composer Leo Brouwer are... |
| 28east | The Thief’s SongMiguel Llobet |  play_arrow | Llobet of Spain is Spanish folk songs that remain in Spain… |
| 29east | Passacaglia in E minorRobert de Visée |  play_arrow | Visée was a French Renaissance composer… |
| 30east | MadroñosFederico Moreno Torroba |  play_arrow | Spain, which swept through the Latin world including Central and South America… |
| 31east | choroVilla-Lobos |  play_arrow | With samba, bossa nova, and more, today's Brazil is fu... |
| 32east | Inner SoundscapeKimura Dai |  play_arrow | At the Tokyo International Competition, as the youngest ever at 14 years old... |
| 33east | Gran JotaFrancisco Tárrega |  play_arrow | Many of Tárrega’s works are still regarded as classical… |
| 34east | Spanish DanceEnric Granados |  play_arrow | Granados, too, can indeed be counted among Spain’s national school of composers… |
| 35east | Fantasia No. 2Fernando Sor |  play_arrow | In other classical genres, he is hardly known... |
| 36east | Pavane of TearsJohn Dowland |  play_arrow | A composer who represents Renaissance music of England… |
| 37east | HachisuzumeJulio Salvador Sagreras |  play_arrow | Composed by Sagreras, “The Hummingbird.” It’s very... |
| 38east | Grand SonataNiccolò Paganini |  play_arrow | Paganini, the very byword for a genius violinist... |
| 39east | FoliosTakemitsu Tōru |  play_arrow | Old Japanese pentatonic music and modern Western music... |
| 40east | Night SongBenjamin Britten |  play_arrow | An original, inventive guitar piece that Britten wrote for Bream. |
| 41east | SalvadorEgberto Gismonti |  play_arrow | Egberto, a Brazilian guitarist/pianist... |
| 42east | OdeonErnesto Júlio Nazareth |  play_arrow | The boom of Spanish guitars crossed the seas and spread... |
| 43east | Arabesque RhapsodyFrancisco Tárrega |  play_arrow | Composed by Francisco Tárrega, “Capricho Árabe”... |
| 44east | A Fantasia for a Certain Noble DeityJoaquín Rodrigo |  play_arrow | The most famous piece in the classical guitar concerto repertoire, “A... |
| 45east | In Praise of DebussyManuel de Falla |  play_arrow | Through the triangular trade with the Americas and Africa… |
| 46east | SarabandeJ.S.Bach |  play_arrow | “Sarabande” is the well-known Bach piece for piano… |
| 47east | SceneryEmilio Pujol |  play_arrow | Tarrega’s distinguished disciple, Pujol, also produced wonderful compo… |
| 48east | Sarabande from Cello Suite No. 6 (unaccompanied)J.S.Bach |  play_arrow | The great master of Baroque music, Johann Sebastian... |
| 49east | SonataManuel Ponce |  play_arrow | Latin music that went to the United States is also in Mexico... |
| 50east | Collection of Hymns to the Virgin Mary |  play_arrow | In Spain, Rufo talks about the story of the Virgin Mary... |
| 51east | Cinema ParadisoEnnio Morricone |  play_arrow | Ennio Morricone’s work, “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” (Cinema Paradiso)… |
| 52east | moonlightFernando Sor |  play_arrow | "Moonlight." Also called the Beethoven of the guitar... |
| 53east | ReggaetonMarcelo Coronel |  play_arrow | Colonel is a modern self-taught guitarist/composer… |
| 54east | Concerto in DMario Castelnuovo-Tedesco |  play_arrow | Along with the guitar’s soaring popularity, at last even with a soft (quiet) instrument... |
| 55east | 12 Spanish DancesPantaleón Enrique Joaquín Granados |  play_arrow | Composed by Granados, “12 Spanish Dances.” … |
| 56east | Joviniana No. 1Sergio Assad |  play_arrow | The Brazilian guitar duo “The Assad Brothers” as well… |
| 57east | Petenérade la Maza |  play_arrow | In classical music, which is consolidated into major and minor keys, ... |
| 58east | Toro mata – Cow killerPerū min’yō |  play_arrow | "Toro Mata, the Bull Killer." A bull killer... |
| 59east | Harp and Shadow |  play_arrow | Re…, a Cuban guitarist and composer… |
| 60east | LibertangoAstor Piazzolla |  play_arrow | Speaking of “Libertango,” in tango music it’s fa… |
| 61east | TangoFrancisco Tárrega |  play_arrow | “Tango” is a work by the guitarist Francisco Ta… |
| 62east | The Miller’s Dance from the ballet music The Three-Cornered HatManuel de Falla |  play_arrow | From the ballet music The Three-Cornered Hat: The Miller’s Dance… |
| 63east | Etude No. 20Matteo Carcassi |  play_arrow | Italian guitarist and composer Karu… |
| 64east | TientoMaurice Ohana |  play_arrow | Oana was born in Brazil but lives in France... |
| 65east | Venezuelan SuiteAntonio Lauro |  play_arrow | Lauro is a Venezuelan composer. Venezu... |