This piece, like many from the Classical Period, is a perfect addition to a guitarist’s repertoire at a formal reception or other event in which one wants the music to blend seamlessly into an elegant background. It welcomes guests with an air of gentility, enhancing the atmosphere, never overwhelming it.
This transcription for classical guitar is in the key of A major.
Luigi Boccherini (1703-1845) was an Italian composer who later moved to Spain. This is his best-known piece, though, while in Spain, composed a few pieces for guitar ensembles, including the “Fandango,” based on traditional Spanish music. An artist who put musical principle ahead of the bottom line, Boccherini once lost a wealthy patron for not compromising his standards during the composition of one of his pieces to cater to his patron’s dubious advice on the piece’s construction.
Spot Practice Clip:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/GW4VZ00NIag[/youtube]This is a seemingly simple passage at a slow tempo, as you can see on the video clip. When you speed this up, however, you will need to pay closer attention to the right-hand fingering to avoid any lags in the tempo. Play the sixteenth notes before the down beats (open E) with i or m, so that you can play the downbeat melodic note with a, which in turn frees up i-m to play the accompaniment notes.
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