No country is more bound up with the guitar than Spain. When people imagine the instrument, they often imagine it Spanish — sun-warmed, rhythmic, full of longing — and for good reason. The modern classical guitar was largely shaped in Spain, and the country's composers have given it some of its greatest and best-loved music. This is a guide to that world.
Why Spain and the guitar belong together
The instrument itself was perfected in Spain: Antonio de Torres gave the modern guitar its shape and sound, and Francisco Tárrega gave it its technique and a school of players. Spain is also home to flamenco, the passionate folk art of Andalusia, whose rhythms and melodic turns seeped into the wider repertoire. The result is a national tradition where instrument, technique and music grew up together.
The great Spanish composers for guitar
- Francisco Tárrega — the father of the modern guitar, composer of Recuerdos de la Alhambra and Capricho Árabe.
- Isaac Albéniz and Enrique Granados — piano composers whose Spanish pieces, like Asturias, became guitar classics.
- Joaquín Rodrigo — composer of the Concierto de Aranjuez, perhaps the most famous guitar concerto ever written.
- Fernando Sor — the classical-era master, the "Beethoven of the guitar."
The flavours of Spanish music
Spanish guitar music draws on the country's regional dances and the deep well of flamenco: the driving rhythm of the bulería, the proud sweep of the fandango, the strummed rasgueado, and melodic ornaments that echo the wail of flamenco song. Even composers writing in a "classical" idiom, like Albéniz and Granados, are steeped in these sounds, which is why their music feels so unmistakably Spanish — and so at home on the guitar.
Where to begin
For an approachable start, try Tárrega's shorter pieces (Lágrima, Adelita) before working toward Capricho Árabe and Recuerdos; from Albéniz, the formidable Asturias is the great goal. Listening widely is part of the pleasure — the Spanish repertoire is best absorbed through the ear as much as the page. (If you want to understand the flamenco side, see our guide to flamenco versus classical guitar.)
Where to get the sheet music
The historical Spanish composers — Tárrega, Albéniz, Granados, Sor — are all in the public domain, so much of this music is free to download legally; see our guide to free classical guitar sheet music. (Twentieth-century composers such as Rodrigo remain under copyright.)
FAQ
Why is the guitar so associated with Spain?
The modern instrument and its technique were largely developed in Spain, and Spanish composers and flamenco shaped its core repertoire.
What is the most famous Spanish guitar piece?
Albéniz's Asturias and Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez are among the most famous.
Where should a beginner start?
With Tárrega's shorter pieces, then working toward Capricho Árabe, Recuerdos and Asturias.
