Feed aggregator

SoloDuo (Lorenzo Micheli & Matteo Mela) perform Notturno (1904), from Six Piano Pieces by Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936). Arranged for two guitars by Lorenzo Micheli. This comes via Micheli and SoloDuo’s YouTube channel with filming in Toronto, Ontario by Drew Henderson. Always beautiful playing by SoloDuo but this work was a particularly tranquil and expressive performance. Gorgeous recording quality and sound as well. I’ve included the original piano music below just out of interest.

The post SoloDuo Play Notturno by Respighi first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Michael Váscones performs Étude No.5 by Mark Delpriora (b.1959) on a 2000 Daryl Perry classical guitar via Guitar Salon International and their YouTube channel. Energetic and well thought-out performance by Váscones with great contrasts and dynamic range. I don’t know the etudes by American composer Mark Delpriora but will explore them. You can find the sheet music at Les Productions d’Oz.

The post Michael Váscones Plays Etude No.5 by Delpriora first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Positive Music Practice when Injured. I cut my fingertip on my left hand this week and this is how I’ve been dealing with it and still practicing is a positive way and getting good work done. This comes via my YouTube. The 100 open string exercises I mention are from My Technique Book. 

From the physical standpoint – I cleaned and bandaged the wound. Then I looked for a rubber thimble but couldn’t find one so I ended up with a Visco-Gel toe cap which is okay but not perfect. I can play with it but its cumbersome.

Psychologically – You want to think of the injury as an opportunity in disguise to work on stuff you normally wouldn’t focus on. You can always get good solid work done even if it’s not what you wanted to work on.

For practicing I’ve been focusing on right hand open string exercises and left hand exercises that leave out that finger. I’ve also been going through small passages that mainly avoid that finger. And for some new repertoire I’ve just been going over the fingering in half-playing fashion.

Additional – You can also consider working on music theory and history as well as musicianship and listening skills.

If you want to support these free lessons visit my Support Page.

The post Positive Music Practice when Injured first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Émilie Fend (guitar) and Andreas Hermanski (clarinet) perform Duo-Sonata (2021) by Roberto Sierra (b.1953). This comes via Fend’s YouTube channel. Émilie Fend, one of my favourite new guitarists to listen to, performs this very challenging work with an amazing mix of extroverted virtuosity and beautifully phrased spacious moments. The playing and ensemble work here is intricate but blends so well. This work is on thier Naxos album titled, 21st Century Clarinet and Guitar Works. Here’s an exceprt of the programme notes from the album that they posted in their YouTube description:

The final contribution to the album is given by Roberto Sierra (1953). The Puerto Rican composer has written a large number of works for the most diverse array of instruments, ranging from solo pieces to large orchestral projects. His output is nowadays received internationally with great enthusiasm and has been recognised by prestigious awards. Duo-Sonata, like many other items of this album, was commissioned by Émilie Fend and Andreas Hermanski. In the words of the composer, the piece “conforms to the classical form concept. Not only does the first movement conform with the allegro-sonata scheme, but it also keeps the four movements of many works from the early nineteenth century.” If the listeners can easily recognise such formal plan, they might also experience a sense of slight contrast with the qualities of Sierra’s musical language. This is, as a matter of fact, quite modernist, yet expressive, all managed within a very balanced and thought-out approach to writing. His use of symmetric scales makes the style of this work structural, plastic and compact: it gives a noble, almost austere identity to this Sonata, which presents itself as a serious and mature work. Sudden outbursts of dynamics and gestures keep the narration alive and the four movements highly contrasting in character. On the other hand, the various episodes of the music always maintain a strong identity which remains recognisable throughout the whole gestation of the piece. This album not only displays the diverse landscape of the world of creativity in music today, by fostering the work of present day composers, but it also successfully promotes the guitar and clarinet ensemble, which, thanks to Émilie and Andreas, emerges as a beautiful and exciting duo, which hopefully will continue generating new repertoire in the future. – Giacomo Susani, Milan, June 2024

The post Émilie Fend and Andreas Hermanski Play Duo-Sonata by Sierra first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Giovanni Masi (guitar), Elena Branno (English Horn), and Simone Solimene (flute) perform Ecloghe, Op.206 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968). This comes via the Omni Foundation online series and their Youtube channel. As they mention, “Presented as part of the Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Chamber Music Project, this evocative performance features guitarist Giovanni Masi, English hornist Elena Branno, and flutist Simone Solimene. Filmed on location in the stunning Collegiata of San Michele Arcangelo in Solofra (Av), Italy, the piece captures the lyrical and pastoral spirit of Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s late chamber works.”

Beautiful work and wonderful performance with such a well balanced orchestration. Excellent phrasing and musical ideas so nicely developed and presented.

Ecloghe Op. 206 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

• 0:05 – I. Andantino quieto
• 3:09 – II. Allegro con spirito (Tempo di Saltarello)
• 5:21 – III. Lento – Elegiaco
• 10:32 – IV. Allegro vivace, con spirito (Girotondo)

The post Ecloghe, Op.206 for Guitar, Flute, and English Horn by Tedesco first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Torrin Williams performs Concerto for Guitar (1951) by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) via the International Guitar Competition Maurizio Biasini. Recorded live at Don Bosco Basel, Switzerland. This comes via Torrin’s YouTube channel. It’s always great to hear the Villa-Lobos concerto which is one of the best in the repertoire. Impressive performance by Williams with dramatic flourishes to expressive beautiful phrasing.

• 00:00 I. Allegro preciso – Poco meno
• 05:50 II. Andantino e Andante
• 10:26 Cadenza: Quasi allegro – Andante – Quasi allegro – Poco moderato
• 14:28 III. Allegro non troppo

The post Torrin Williams Plays Concerto for Guitar by Villa-Lobos first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Italian classical guitarist Roberta Gennuso performs Caprice No.7, Op.20 by Luigi Legnani (Italy, 1790-1877). This comes via Gennuso’s YouTube channel. Wonderfully energetic performance by Gennuso with incredible zippy lines and articulation. As she mentions via her YouTube description:

“Luigi Legnani, a virtuoso guitarist and composer, was known for his brilliant and expressive writing for the instrument. His 36 Caprices showcase a wide range of technical and musical challenges, much like Paganini’s works for violin. Capriccio No. 7 is a striking piece, full of energy, rich harmonies, and intricate passages that highlight Legnani’s mastery of the classical guitar. I hope you enjoy my interpretation!”

The post Roberta Gennuso Plays Caprice No.7, Op.20 by Legnani first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Canadian guitarist Emma Rush performs Evening Song by Catharina Pratten (1824-1895). This comes via Rush’s YouTube channel. As she mentions, “Pratten was a composer, guitarist, educator, publisher, conductor, and instrument inventor based in London. She was incredibly influential and was the most important guitar figure in Britain in the 19th century.”

NEW ALBUM: This track is from Rush’s new album, The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten, available soon at emma-rush.com, emmarush.bandcamp.com, and all the major streaming platforms. I’ll update this when it’s released.

The post Emma Rush Plays Evening Song by Pratten first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Caprice No.1-4, Op.20 by Luigi Legnani (1790-1877). PDF sheet music for classical guitar. Comes with both a notation edition with left hand fingering and a separate tab edition. The level is late-intermediate (grade 6-8) depending on your desired tempo and level of refinement. PDF Download.

My pdf sheet music edition

• Caprice No.1-4 by Legnani (PDF) from Werner Guitar Editions

Luigi Rinaldo Legnani was an Italian guitarist, singer, composer and luthier. He is best known for his 36 Caprices Op.20 which cover all the major and minor keys, likely inspired by Paganini’s 24 Caprices for the violin. 

Subscribe to the free membership newsletter and if you’re just watching for free you can consider supporting the site. This video was performed on a Douglass Scott classical guitar with Augustine Regal Red strings and a Guitarlift One for All support. All my gear here.

Video Performances and Lessons

All video performances and lessons to be recorded this spring, 2025. I’ll start with No.4 which inspired me to start these.

Youtube Links: Caprice No.4

Sheet Music SamplesThe post Caprice No.1-4, Op.20 by Luigi Legnani first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Victoria Aretinskaya (domra) and Sergei Gudelev (classical guitar) perform their arrangement of Prelude For Piano No.2 by Yevgeny Fyodorovich Svetlanov (1928-2002). This comes via Guitar Salon International and their YouTube channel. Really nice performance with excellent ensemble phrasing and separation. Here’s an excerpt from the youtube description:

Svetlanov’s music is very beautiful and accessible. Deeply influenced by popular imagery, it is reminiscent of Russian folklore. For this reason, we perform these pieces in a somewhat unusual duo. The domra, a traditional Russian folk instrument, has a bright, very characteristic timbre. Its recognizable lyrical ‘legato’ sound is achieved through a tremolo technique. In this video, you will hear a three-string domra built in 1976 by Viktor Khromov (1932–2005). It sounds beautiful in a combination with a new 2025 Vladimir Druzhinin guitar, an instrument we are happy to feature at GSI.

The post Aretinskaya and Gudelev Play Prelude No.2 by Svetlanov first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Right hand movement when playing across the strings during scales and similar textures. When moving across all six strings there are three concepts that can be taught by instructors either exclusively or use in combination. This is for scale-like passages, not arpeggios such as Giuliani patterns or multi-voice textures. This comes via my YouTube. The exercises all come from My Technique Book. 

1) Perfect hand position with arm movement – This makes sense because the fingers can move in the exact same way on each string allowing for the ideal hand position and finger movement. The consistency in the muscle memory of this method make it very memorable and ergonomic. The main difficulty for beginners is relaxation in the arm movement.

2) Centred hand with small wrist and arm pivot – If you start with your hand set up for the 4th or 3rd string you only need a small pivot in the wrist and forearm to reach the trebles or basses from that central point. The downside is that if the movement is not subtle enough the student’s hand position can get compromised which may not be ergonomic.

3) Centred hand with small extension/contraction of the fingers – Similar to the above, if positioned for the 4th/3rd string in a static hand position, a small extension of the fingers to the trebles or contraction to the basses is possible. Again, the downside is that if the movement is not subtle enough the student’s hand position can get compromised which may not be ergonomic.

What do I teach?

I always begin by teaching a perfect hand position that the arm moves around to different strings. Again, this is for scale-like passages across all the strings, not arpeggios such as Giuliani patterns or multi-voice textures. I believe that finding a secure and ergonomic hand and finger motion is essential and finding that position is difficult if including other concepts. So I teach this one method until the student has a strong foundation, muscle memory, and relaxation.

At later stages I believe that you can utilize all three of these elements to achieve a subtle and ergonomic playing hand that is flexible depending on the situation. In general, I’ve also found that the subtle wrist and finger extension comes very naturally when the student works on relaxation after establishing the perfect position in the right hand, to the point of me not having to usually teach it at all.

Ideally, the student will always reflex back into the perfect hand position if using the pivot or extension method. That is way I push the first method so intensely.

Examples

Playing a scale across all six strings in order – Here I often utilize Option 1 where you have a set hand position and the arm moves it around.

Melodic patterns that skip up and down the strings – Here a pivot in the arm is useful because you don’t want to be constantly moving the arm back and forth.

Multi-voice textures and more complex patterns – Here the pivot or very small over extensions can be useful to maintain a static and stable hand while making adjustments to the complexity of the music.

The post Right Hand Movement When Playing Across the Strings first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

João Luiz performs Villalobiana from 24 Studies for Guitar by Sergio Assad (b.1952). This comes via Siccas Guitars and Siccas Media program via their amazing YouTube channel. As Siccas mentions, “These études showcase a wide range of techniques related to the Brazilian guitar and also highlight the contributions of 24 Brazilian composers to the enrichment of Brazilian music.” Amazing performance by Luiz with exciting intricate lines and a fantastic musical balance bringing melodic material out of the busy texture.

The post João Luiz plays Villalobiana by Sergio Assad first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

MusiCurated, The Classical Guitar Magazine

Congratulations to editor Ben Lahring on the first edition of MusiCurated, The Classical Guitar Magazine. I was honoured to have been included in the interviews with discussions on This is Classical Guitar, developments in teaching, and the classical guitar scene’s future. It’s available in print or digitally as a pdf, and published six times a year.

Buy the first edition at MusiCurated.

The first edition includes a feature on the Canadian classical guitar scene with interviews of players, educators, and luthiers: Liona Boyd, Patrick Roux, Emma Rush, Tariq Harb, Daniel Ramjattan, Iain Morrish, Pascal Sasseville Quoquochi, myself, and more. It also includes sheet music, lessons, and other interesting articles. Check it out.

The first edition is available as a digital or physical copy, or as part of an annual (6-issue) subscription.

The post MusiCurated, The Classical Guitar Magazine first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.

Classical guitar duo Ziggy and Miles (Ziggy Johnston and Miles Johnston) perform Mosstrooper Peak by Nigel Westlake (b.1958). This comes via their YouTube channel. Recorded live at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Music Center in New York City. Brilliant performance by Ziggy and Miles with an amazing mix of beautiful phrasing along with intense and intricate ensemble work.

• Movements and Times
• I. Burning Point 00:00
• II. Mosstrooper Peak 01:46
• III. Nara Inlet 07:38
• IV. Tangalooma 11:24
• V. Butterfly Bay 13:35
• VI. Smokey Cape 17:22

About the piece: Each movement is named after a remote location on the east coast of Australia, places that hold a special meaning for me and that were visited during a huge time of upheaval in my life. They are locations of repose and meditation, and upon each site stands a shrine to the memory of my son Eli. The work begins very tentatively, reflecting as it does the building of the first shrine at Burning Point. On a pristine white beach, in the twilight of a magical tropical sunset, a family gathers shells & small flowers. In silence they arrange their offerings around a small photo of the departed, lighting incense & candles, which burn late into the night. Thus begins a practice of remembrance that will become a daily ritual over the coming months. On each occasion the shrines will become larger and more elaborate, and the places upon which they are built will become more remote & precarious. They are located within caves and crevices amongst peaceful inlets, tidal estuaries, coral beaches, and on rocky ridges upon the tropical islands overlooking the fringing reefs and deep blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Some of the shrines will be washed away by peak tides and cyclones, others will stand for hundreds of years. The music is sometimes reflective, as is the case for the movements Burning Point, Nara Inlet & Butterfly Bay, and at other times more extrovert, invoking a sense of energy & movement, as if marking the journey to these remote locations, a process that sometimes involved several hours of challenging bush walking through tropical rainforest and dry creek beds and the scaling of treacherous mountain peaks. – Nigel Westlake (via their YouTube description)

The post Ziggy & Miles Play Mosstrooper Peak by Westlake first appeared on This is Classical Guitar.