Kristina Varlid is a Norwegian classical guitarist whose warm, singing approach to the instrument has made her performances a recurring highlight on our channel — from Barrios' Julia Florida to her reflections on tone production. You can read more about her in our artist profile of Kristina Varlid.
Here she plays Balada para Martín Fierro by the Argentine composer Ariel Ramírez, on a 2025 Pete Beer double-top guitar.
About Balada para Martín Fierro
The title points to the heart of Argentine identity: Martín Fierro, the epic poem by José Hernández about the life of a persecuted gaucho, is the national poem of Argentina. Ariel Ramírez took up the figure in his music, and the Balada sings in the spirit of the Argentine folk traditions he spent his life championing — a slow, ballad-like melody with the melancholy of the pampas, carried by gently rocking accompaniment.
On the guitar the piece becomes an intimate narrative. Varlid's reading gives the melody the unhurried, vocal quality of a story told by firelight — precisely the register in which South American music and the classical guitar understand each other best.
About Ariel Ramírez
Ariel Ramírez (1921–2010) was one of Argentina's most beloved composers and pianists, a central figure of the Argentine folk revival. His name travelled around the world with the Misa Criolla (1964), one of the first mass settings in the vernacular with Latin American folk forms, and with songs like Alfonsina y el Mar, which became standards far beyond Argentina. Rooted in the rhythms and dances of his homeland — zamba, chacarera, vidala — his music combines folk directness with concert-hall craftsmanship, and guitarists have gratefully claimed it for the instrument.
The Guitar: Pete Beer, 2025
Pete Beer is a contemporary luthier whose double-top instruments have earned a growing reputation among performers. The 2025 guitar heard here pairs the responsiveness of modern construction with a warm, rounded voice that suits Ramírez's balladry perfectly. The instrument is available in our shop — and if double-top construction is new to you, our article on double-top classical guitars explains how it works.
Watch the Performance
For more Latin American repertoire, browse our overview of famous classical guitar pieces.
