Carcassi Complete Solo Guitar Works, Vol. 2 continues rediscovering the solo guitar music by Matteo Carcassi, (1796-1853). In this new volume of his complete guitar music edition played by Agustín Maruri, you will find incredible treasuries and hidden jewels like the “Theme Russe Varié” which is the number 12 of his op.10 “12 Morceaux”, also his op.8 which includes two beautiful set of variations on Italian airs.

Carcassi is a mine of beauty for the guitar, here is what Joseph Kuffner wrote (Carcassi’s contemporary guitarist and composer, this is his review on the occasion of the first edition of these works by Schott Söhne in Mainz in 1828) “…Giuliani and Carulli had already written excellent works for the guitar, thereby elevating this instrument from its former confinement to a point where it could compete with many other highly respected instruments.

Carcassi not only started from this point, to which the instrument had been promoted by those worthy predecessors, but he also further promoted the cause in the works indicated, both in terms of gaining new effects and the technical treatment of the instrument. Particularly interesting in these respects is op. 1. in the first Rondo Allegretto in C major of the first Sonatina, the passage, page 3, in line 5, from the first bar to the introduction to the theme, as well as the Rondo Allegretto of the 3rd Sonatina in A major, page 8, in the third line from the third bar to the stop; in opus 2, the extremely effectively worked Rondo Allegretto non troppo in C major, page 8; – the in op. 3, the very successful Waltz No. 9 in A major, page 8, as well as the lovely Rondo pastorale Andantino grazioso No. 12. in E major, pages 10 and 11; – in op. 7, the consistently well-drawn variations in D major, Au clair de la Lune, chanté dans les voitures versées; …”

“…These works deserve to be recommended to all friends of this instrument, who will not only derive pleasure, but also real profit from the diligent study of them; and it is an honour for the publishing house, which has done the musical world a great service and made considerable sacrifices, to have brought these beautiful flowers to light…”. Wurzburg, 1828. All this works are in our Volume 2 and the “Sonatinas Op.1” in volume 1. Don’t miss it!

Agustín Maruri, Guitar