Etudes for Guitar, Op.60 – Matteo Carcassi

Electric guitar is immensely popular these days, and average guitarist with more chance is aware about virtuosi of the twentieth century than those who played this instrument in its more unplugged version, way before electricity was discovered. This is the situation, and I, without being too presumptuous, don’t think it is possible to change everything with a wave of the hand. However, I still write about all musicians and composers who, to my mind, deserve a little more recognition.

Matteo Carcassi was a Romantic composer and guitarist from Italy. What I like about him most, except his music, is that he provided shelter for a family of mice. It is so touching that I would repeat his princely gesture myself, but circumstances don’t let me do it: due to being solid-body, my guitar is less of a gnawer’s harborage than Carcassi’s was. As for his music, it’s a rare combination of true virtuosity and unadulterated lyricism. Here is his Etudes for Guitar, Op.60 Nos.8-9, enjoy.