Paper Example. History of the Guitar

The guitar instrument has existed for many years ago. However, the initial mention of the guitar happened in the 14th century. The first guitars had three double pairs of strings and one single string, which was the (highest). The guitar attained its modern form in the mid-18th century (Annala 5). The double pairs became singles and a sixth string was added. In the 19th century, guitar makers increased the broadness of its body and the curve of its waist. They thinned the belly and changed its internal bracing. Manufacturing of guitars began after World War II, and the manufacturers have mastered the skills of mass production of sophisticated and affordable guitars in every color and shape.

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Famous Performers

12 famous guitarists helped in shaping the music industry during the 20th century. The first great performer is Robert Johnson. He was one of the greatest blues guitarists, as he was the founding father of the pre-World War II blues era. The second famous guitarist is Charlie Christian. He joined the bandstand in 1939 and he propelled the electric guitar by himself and incorporated it into the mainstream (Csacapelliti, 8). B.B King was also a famous guitarist who invented the style of bending and vibrating a string. Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry, Wes Montgomery, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Yngwie J. Malmsteen make up the group of twelve famous guitarists.

Famous Composers

Isaac Manuel Francisco Albeniz y Pascual was a Spanish pianist-composer. However, his works influenced those of famous guitarist composers like Miguel Llobet and Tarrega Francisco. Some of his pieces like Granada, Sevilla, Cataluna, and Cadiz can now be seen in the present guitar composes (Connoly, 16). Another famous composer is Johann Sebastian Bach, from Germany. He was a guitarist-composer, as well as an organist, violist, harpsichordist, and violinist. Augustin Barrios is also a famous composer born in San Huan Bautista de las Missiones. He had great skills in playing the guitar because he started playing it at a young age. Girolamo Frescobaldi is also a renounced composer who lived from 1583 to 1643. Joaquin Rodrigo Vidre was also a composer, despite the fact that he was visually impaired.

Repertoire

There are five famous pieces written for the guitar. The first one is Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo. The piece was a hit and it was used in the film Brassed Off, produced in 1996. The second famous piece is Vivaldi's Guitar concerto in D. The piece was written in Bohemian. Walton also did a piece that became famous. Five Bagatelles by Walton also became famous because of the quirky rhythms. The fourth famous piece written from the guitar is Libertango by Piazzolla. The piece was recorded in 1974 and it contains a sultry tango (Millard 24). The sultry tango marks the change in the composing style of Piazolla, from classical tango to Nuevo tango. The last famous piece from the guitar is Asturias by Albeniz. The piece holds the Andalusian flamenco traditions. The work incorporates sudden dynamic changes and a fiddly sophisticated melody.

Famous Orchestras

In the past, guitars were not considered for orchestral concerts. However, some pieces passed the test of time. They include Concerto in D Major by Antonio Vivaldi and Guitar Concerto No. 1 by Mauro Giuliani. Presently, more and more guitar orchestras have emerged because people have embraced the musical instrument (Robin 20). Orchestras play a very important role in music and musical instruments because they allow guitarists to enjoy their crafts and skills, with a group of peers. As much as guitars gained popularity in orchestras, they are still yet to be as popular as other musical instruments.

Works Cited

Annala, Hannu. Handbook of guitar and lute composers. Mel Bay Publications, 2010. Retrieved from www.books.google.co.ke/books?history+and+manufacturers+of+guitar

Bakan, Michael B. Guitar in Latin America Culture. FSU World Music Online, 2011. Retrieved from www.fsuworldmusiconline.wikidot.com/endongo

Bartel, Lee R. "Guitar class: A multifaceted approach." Music Educators Journal 77.2 (1990): 40-45. Retrieved from www.journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2307/3397816

Cscapelliti. The 12 Most Influential Guitarists of All Time and Their Signature Styles. Guitar Aficionado, 2018. Retrieved from www.guitarplayer.com/guitaraficionado/the-12-most-influential-guitarists-of-all-time-and-their-signature-styles

Classic fm. 10 beautiful pieces of classical music for guitar. Discover Music, 2018. Retrieved from www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/guitar/classical-guitar-music/

Connolly. String Ovulation. Connolly Music Company, 2016. Retrieved from www.connollymusic.com/stringovation/the-emergence-of-the-guitar-in-orchestral-compositions

Guitar Site. A History of the Guitar. Hitsquad Pty Ltd 2020. Retrieved from www.guitarsite.com/history.htm

Millard, Andre, ed. The electric guitar: a history of an American icon. JHU Press, 2004.

Praetorius, M., Boccherini, L. & Falla, M. Music for 4 Guitars. Naxos Records, 2020. Retrieved from www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.573592

Robin Neihardt. Favorite Composers of Guitar Music. Skyyrim Studios, 2018. Retrieved from www.neihardt.com/skyyrimstudios/favorite-composers/