The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I have recently started back playing some classical pieces such as the hall of the mountain king and bouree in Em.

    I am just wondering what are some of the more popular classical songs to play on classical guitar i.e. which songs would most intermediate players learn.

    Thanks

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  3. #2

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    Classical songs or classical pieces? In any case I think that the Bach Cello Suites for classical guitar are an excellent choice. Or some of the pieces by Weiss. Additionally, there are myriad songs and pieces for Elizabethan lute arranged for the guitar that are available and make very nice set pieces. That is just for a start. A great reference is to listen to Julian Bream's versions of lute music on albums he put out during the Sixties and Seventies.

  4. #3

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    Hi Jay. Apologies I meant classical pieces.

    I kinda like Bach so I'll check out the Cello Suites first.

    Julian Bream is just a little (ah um) above my capabilities though I love listening to him. In any endevour the best always make the difficult seem so easy.

  5. #4

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    The beauty and strength of Julian Bream's performances of classical guitar pieces is the "soul" that he endows each note and phrase in his execution - a combination of time, tone, and emotion. He plays the same notes - it's "how" he plays them. It is instructive to watch some of his video Master classes as captured many decades ago. He was a great teacher, in my humble opinion. Julian is still with us to my knowledge, and doubtlessly can still play, as he did publicly until his seventies.

  6. #5

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    I should not neglect to mention, apart from his CDs of great Spanish pieces, that Julian's interpretations of Villa-Lobos are special to me as well.

  7. #6

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    Thanks Jay. By coincidence I watched the Villa-Lobos Masterclass of his this morning. Very neat!!

    I googled JB and read that he was knocked over by a neighbours dog and broke his hip and arm so he can't play anymore (though he does a little scale and arpeggio work). He left a great legacy behind.

    BTW I have chosen Asturias as a study. Not sure how far I'll get but the first part is fairly easy. Now onto the triplets.

  8. #7

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    yeah, after the first part you'll have trouble, a lot of trouble. if you're an intermediate player, that is.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Liarspoker
    Thanks Jay. By coincidence I watched the Villa-Lobos Masterclass of his this morning. Very neat!!

    I googled JB and read that he was knocked over by a neighbours dog and broke his hip and arm so he can't play anymore (though he does a little scale and arpeggio work). He left a great legacy behind.

    BTW I have chosen Asturias as a study. Not sure how far I'll get but the first part is fairly easy. Now onto the triplets.
    In theory, you don't need to play those triplets. They were never in the original piano score. Segovia added them because they sound cool.

    The original just has double notes throughout as I recall. Stanley Yates did a guitar version which is more accurate in terms of following the original.

  10. #9

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    Interesting.

    But you said it right. In theory you don't have to play them. In reality, every classical guitar audience expects them. This is one of those "men from the boys' pieces. John Williams set the bar in the 1980s with his Albeniz album. Everybody busts hump to measure up.

    The closest I've heard to Williams' performance was Ana Vidovic's. And then there is another famous lady guitarist who insists on playing it, but would be well advised to drop it from her repertoire.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by fumblefingers
    Interesting.

    But you said it right. In theory you don't have to play them. In reality, every classical guitar audience expects them. This is one of those "men from the boys' pieces. John Williams set the bar in the 1980s with his Albeniz album. Everybody busts hump to measure up.

    The closest I've heard to Williams' performance was Ana Vidovic's. And then there is another famous lady guitarist who insists on playing it, but would be well advised to drop it from her repertoire.
    Sure, but if the OP can't manage the triplets, he can still enjoy playing it knowing that without triplets is more authentic.

  12. #11

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    After hearing so many guitar versions, I quite like hearing Asturias on the piano for a change (this is by Alicia de Larrocha):


  13. #12

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    Finishing your first Bach fugue is a pretty big accomplishment.

    Getting beyond the typical Carcassi repertoire is a big step too.

  14. #13

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    I remember doing some Villa Lobos which seemed intermediate. Possibly Etude 1 and Prelude 4?

  15. #14

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    Try Carcassi's 25 Etudes -- #3 is a good arpeggio piece and very melodic and pleasing. Also Sor's 20 Studies (that is the 20 studies selected and edited by Segovia). Great pieces. As you will find, many are not that hard to learn and play but to play them WELL is a challenge and will improve your skills and musicality. Lots of YouTube videos of these pieces to watch and listen to. Various pieces by Tarrega are also a standard part of every classical guitar students rep. Try Lagrima, Adelita, and some of the preludes. "Recuerdos del Alhambra" is his famous tremolo piece that everyone tries at some point. Also "Capricho Arabe" is famous but fairly advanced and difficult to play well. As others have commented, there are lots of Bach transcriptions. If you are really serious about getting into classical, I highly recommend Allen Mathew's ClassicalGuitarShed.com. Technique is very important in playing classical guitar to produce beautiful tone and also to be able to play with speed and musicality. Good luck!

    I am mostly a classical player who is dabbling in jazz, blues, and folk...

  16. #15

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    The Villa-Lobos Preludes are wonderful pieces, and not too technically difficult. They are very guitaristic, in the sense that what looks incredibly difficult on the printed page and sounds super complicated is rather easy with the right fingerings.

    Weiss is good, also a lot of Sor and Giuilini. I was at one time reasonably proficient at some of their famous works--Grand Sonata, etc.

    Frederick Noad has some classic books out--the one I have is Classical Guitar--that have a nice selection of Sor and Giulini pieces.

    One off the beaten path suggestion is a transcription of Steve Howe's acoustic guitar music. I learned Mood for a Day and Surface Tension a long time ago, and either will stand you in good stead trying to impress the average person with your nylon-string skills.

  17. #16

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    Playing Asturias as an intermediate player is a guarantee of problems later on, such as focal dystonia. Walk before you run. There are dozens of beautiful Renaissance and early Baroque pieces that are fairly easy and very musical, and written for the guitar, so they're not finger-busting piano transcriptions.

  18. #17

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    Grahambop - I am especially partial to HVL's Prelude no. 3. Just a beautiful guitaristic piece, especially as interpreted by the great Julian Bream.

    Incidentally, a side track. In one of the forum sections I was reading entries about classical playing discussing light touch versus strong. I imagine some of a player's approach is determined by the specific guitar and the music's characteristics, but I get the impression that Bream had a strong, forceful attack when I watch his videos. Here I'm actually speaking of his left hand fretting. To my physician eye he also seems to have some hyper-extensive range in his terminal phalanges - the terminal segments of the fingers that contact the strings. Some have discussed his period of training in the cello, but I think it is anatomical.


    The other day I watched the entire My Life In Music DVD as recounted by Julian Bream including numerous clips of his performances and interviews. I loved every minute.
    Last edited by targuit; 10-30-2015 at 08:13 AM.

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by targuit
    Grahambop - I am especially partial to HVL's Prelude no. 3. Just a beautiful guitaristic piece, especially as interpreted by the great Julian Bream.

    The other day I watched the entire My Life In Music DVD as recounted by Julian Bream including numerous clips of his performances and interviews. I loved every minute.
    Oh yes, that was the other Villa Lobos piece I used to play.

    I also have that DVD, as you say it is really great to hear him talk, and see the clips.

  20. #19

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    Thanks for all of your replies.

    I have managed to by Time Pieces for Guitar: Music Through the Ages Volume 2 which is for grades 3-5.

    Looking at the ABRSM website I see that typically a student has to choose 3 songs - 1 choice from 3 lists - for each grade. Time Pieces seems to be the book that is mentioned most.

    The idea is to select 3 songs (1 from each list) and learn them starting with grade 3.

    My first piece was Musette (from English Suite #3) by JS Bach.

    The piece I am currently learning is Allegretto Op. 50 No. 15 by M. Giuliani.

    Thanks Fumblefingers for suggesting looking into ABRSM.

    It's a lot of fun.

    PS if any of you want to post a youtube video of yourself playing some classical pieces on this thread then please feel free.

  21. #20

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    Seems deceptively simple at first blush but!!!!! -


    there are lots of internet resources to help along getting started

    hope that helps

    Will

  22. #21

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    i hope that you enjoy it as much as i did.

    ABRSM has well selected repertoire choices, helpful books, and "model" recordings so that you can hear how you should sound as you play these pieces.

    the 3 selections at each level are to help ensure that you maintain a balanced program - from Renaissance, to Baroque, to Classical, to Romantic, to Modern, etc.

  23. #22

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    How about Classical Gas as rite of passage?

  24. #23

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    generally not considered to be a serious piece, but intermediate to advanced players might be advised to learn it for commercial reasons.

  25. #24

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    I charge $20 to play classical gas, it's such a dumb tune. But at least I do the orchestral interlude as well.

  26. #25

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    cool. do you segue into MacArthur's Park?

    that might actually work, lol.