65 Gradually Progressive Pieces and 6 Studies

Book excerpt: These 65 pieces and 6 etudes are originally found in Ferdinando Carulli's Complete Method for the Guitar, op. 241. This method is the last iteration of his original guitar method (op. 27), the first modern method for guitar. Originally published as 44 Progressive Pieces and 6 Studies, the present edition (based on an edition published by Oliver Ditson Company, Boston) in fact yields the following: 56 numbered studies, 2 slur studies, 1 rondo for all positions, 4 intervalstudies, 2 studies in harmonics and the 6 (rather didactic) etudes. (Not included in the present volume are numerous short scale exercises and cadences. These can be found in more complete and thorough treatments in numerous modern methods.) These studies clearly demonstrate Carulli's familiarity with his Italian operatic heritage. They are nearly all in recognizable song forms and the compositional style is simple melody with harmonic accompaniment. Counterpoint is almost totally absent. Yet within these limits Carulli creates very fine music indeed.Great care was taken to make this a performing edition. All of the pieces fit on 1 or 2 pages. The few that take 3 pages have page turns inserted in logical places. The few fingerings presented are found in the Ditson edition and are logical and obvious. It is hoped that these pieces will present a delightful anduseful supplement to the studies of Sor and Giuliani published during the same period. They are truly progressive; the first 10 or so are in the keys of C, G or D (and their relative minors), all in first position, using mostly tonic and dominant harmony and can be learned by most students in just a few lessons. They continue to increase in complexity and difficulty through the final 16 (studies 41- 56), which are some of the most delightful music written for guitar. I hope you all enjoy working on and performing these works as much as I have!