Carulli Classical Guitar

In the early nineteenth century, when the virtuoso guitar concerto was born, Italy and Spain produced their share of outstanding musicians who were, like British inventions, more likely to prosper outside their homeland: Sor and Aguado left Spain, Carulli and Molino departed from Italy; all four converged on Paris where, no doubt with much exaggeration, the rivalry of the supporters of the last two was depicted in a cartoon. Molino has derived negligible posthumous benefit from recording or concert performance, nor has Carulli done much better, the spotlight resting doggedly on some of their contemporaries.

25 disc box set featuring music for the classical guitar from the 16th century up to the present day. Some of the works performed include 'Chaconnes' by Bach and Telemann, '12 Sonatas' by Scarlatti, 'Guitar Concertos' by Vivaldi, Rodrigo's 'Concierto de Aranjuez' and Brouwer's 'Music for Solo Guitar'.

An acclaimed Italian guitar virtuoso and composer, Mauro Giuliani, along with Fernando Sor, was one of the last great classical proponents of his instrument until its revival in the early twentieth century. He studied counterpoint and the cello, but on the six-string guitar he was entirely self-taught, and that became his principal instrument early on. Italy abounded with fine guitarists at the beginning of the nineteenth century (Carulli remains the most familiar today), but few of them could make a living because of the public's preoccupation with opera. So Giuliani embarked on a successful tour of Europe when he was 19, and in 1806 he settled in Vienna, where he entered the musical circle of Diabelli, Moscheles, and Hummel. He solidified his reputation with the 1808 premiere of his Guitar Concerto in A major, Op. 30, and was soon heralded as the greatest living guitar virtuoso. Even Beethoven noticed Giuliani, and wrote of his admiration for him. Perhaps to return the favor, Giuliani played cello in the 1813 premiere of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.