CLASSICAL GUITAR REPERTOIRE, LITERATURE AND PEDAGOGY

57-437
This semester, we will begin by examining and playing from the 19th century methods of
Carcassi, Carulli, Sor, and Aguado. Then we will explore the flute and guitar repertoire
from the 16th century to the present.
Objectives:
At the conclusion of the course, the student should gain the following:
1. Acquaintance with the pedagogical literature for the classical guitar, including
basic methods for the beginner, technical excercises, scales and arpeggios, and
etudes from beginning through advanced levels.
2. Familiarity with differing schools of technique, as examined in the class.
3. Knowledge of the range of solo guitar literature, from Renaissance lute works
through the most recent compositions of the Twentieth Century.
4. Acquaintance with chamber music for multiple guitars (at student and concert
level), and for guitar with other instruments, including the repertoire for voice and
guitar.
5. Significant knowledge of pedagogical methodology and techniques of teaching
the guitar to beginning and inexperienced students of the instrument.
Below is a general description of the class:
No specific text will be used. However, the class will engage in a comparison of
different classical guitar method books and collections of etudes, from beginning through
advanced levels, along with a comparison of editions of concert literature.
Class sessions will be devoted to lecture, discussion and demonstration of various
musical examples by performance, recordings and videotapes. Since there will be no
specific text used, regular attendance will be necessary for comprehension of the subject
matter.
Students will prepare a notebook on the material covered during the course. The
notebook will be turned in for examination and grading at the end of the term. I will also
take class participation into account in determining the final grade.
The class will include specific focus on giving each student significant experience with
guitar pedagogy through sessions of mutual student critiques under the guidance of the
studio teacher. Time will be given to sessions of role-playing to expose each student to
the rigors of actually teaching the guitar to a live person.

Material covered over several semesters:

Theories of right and left hand technique

Comparison of basic methods for the guitar: Sor, Carulli, Carcassi, Shearer,
Noad
Technical exercises for right and left hand: Giuliani, Tarrega, Segovia, Carlevaro,
etc.
Etudes for the guitar: Nineteenth-century repertoire by Sor, Giuliani, Carcassi,
Aguado, Carulli, Legnani, Coste, Regondi
Twentieth-century repertoire by Tarrega, Villa-Lobos, Brouwer, Dodgson
Solo guitar repertoire: Lute and vihuela works from the Renaissance by Milan,
Narvaez, Mudarra, Dowland, Milano
Solo guitar repertoire: Baroque lute works by Weiss; Baroque guitar music by
Sanz, Murcia, de Visee, Roncalli, Corbetta
Original works and transcriptions of Johann Sebastian Bach
The first golden age of the guitar: Works by Sor, Giuliani, Carcassi, Aguado
Later Nineteenth-century works: Coste, Regondi, Mertz, Tarrega, Llobet
Twentieth-century guitar music: Original works by Torroba, Turina, Rodrigo,
Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ponce, Villa-Lobos, Tansman, Britten, Walton, Dodgson,
Tippett, Ginastera, Henze, Martin, Brouwer
Chamber music for multiple guitars: Bach, Sor, Giuliani, Diabelli, Carulli,
Rodrigo, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Brouwer, de Falla
Chamber music for guitar and other instruments: Bach, Handel, Giuliani,
Paganini, Coste, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Haug, Henze
Music for voice and guitar: Dowland, Schubert, Sor, Britten, Walton, de Falla,
Castelnuovo-Tedesco
The guitar concertos of Vivaldi, Haydn, Boccherini, Carulli, Molino, Giuliani,
Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ponce, Villa-Lobos, Bennet, Dodgson, Arnold, Rodrigo