Michele Reali

The classical guitar as we intend it today is an instrument with a relatively short history. Although traces of plucked strings instruments may date back to the Ancient Greek, The first appearance of a six strings instrument with the proportions of a modern guitar comes only at the end of the 18th century, when the first models of “romantic guitar” (smaller than today’s guitar) were produced. This particular type of instrument saw some rather high points of popularity: famous musicians such as Schubert and Paganini played and composed music for guitar, and many others such as Sor, Giuliani, Carcassi and Carulli not only were prolific composers, but also built the foundations of didactic methods that still nowadays are in use. But it is only at the end of the 19th century that the guitar as we know it today was born. Bigger in dimensions, louder in sound, and more comfortable to play, it brought with it a completely renewed conception of the instrument, especially during the 20th century. New music was written – chiefly thanks to Andres Segovia and Julian Bream – and it was not an instrument relegated to small chamber music situations anymore. Now the guitar could be seen make an appearance in great concert halls, sometimes even accompanied by the orchestra. Many of the most beautiful concertos of the history of music were dedicated to this instrument, above all the renowned Concierto de Aranjuez.