I've posted here my home recordings of various classical guitar pieces.
In the midst of holding a day job and raising a family, I try to
find time to pursue my passion...playing the classical guitar. Although being both student and teacher to myself has been a very tough experience, it has also been very
rewarding. I do this not just for myself, but hopefully to inspire my kids to pursue similar interests. While seeing me work through a piece, they find themselves doing the
same thing as they practice their piano pieces. They've begun to understand the process of how music grows out of a piece of sheetmusic which eventually flows out of my
magic musical box, the guitar (in their case, the piano).
These recorded pieces are not perfect and may never ever be...once in a while, whenever the elements are just right, I may sit down and re-record these
pieces and end up with a better version.
As you listen to these pieces, I hope you find the same enjoyment that I've felt through my years of studying, playing and listening to classical guitar music. If you do,
please let others know about it...if not, don't tell them...just let them find out for themselves :=)).
If you're in no hurry to leave (especially after listening to the recordings), please take some time to sign my GUESTBOOK.
God bless.
Raffy
Title
Composer
MP3/VIDEO
CLASSICAL GUITAR
Eterna Saudade
Reis is to me a lesser known composer but his pieces are enthralling. This piece is simple and easily mastered. The melody sounds more appropriately played with a violin and therein lies the challenge. The guitar's sustain, or lack of it, works against the solemnity of the piece. 04/18/2009.
Dilermando Reis
Gigue
This sounds easy but is really very difficult to play. The fingerings are atrocious and I failed to sound the multiple voices with conviction. Add to that some flubbed notes toward the end. I'm keeping this version until I have time to pick it up again and do better. 04/14/2009.
JS Bach
Tango En Skai
By French guitarist/composer Roland Dyens. Not sure about this but I think this is his only melodic composition - all others are quite atonal which I don't appreciate. I flubbed the last part and did not want to start all over again. 04/13/2009.
Roland Dyens
Julia Florida
I just realized I've not attempted to record this very famous composition - one of the greatest. Under duress, I tried my best to record this without flaws, but still "successfully" managed to flub certain parts. 04/10/2009.
Agustin Barrios Mangore
Gaano Kita Kamahal
A staple in weddings, this is almost obligatorily played and/or sung. "How much I love you" is a promise of lifelong love, most appropriate for couples getting married. This is an arrangement by Jose Valdez from his book The Philippine Guitar. Lots of left-hand stretches, but overall it's simple to play. I tried to render it faster than it is usually played to keep myself from dozing off. 04/04/2009.
Ernani Cuenco
Kundiman in D
Composed and arranged by Jose Valdez, available in vgorecordings.com and part of his book The Philippine Guitar. The piece starts off sounding atonal so it's hard to keep the listener (including me) focused enough to wait for the more melodic second half. Of course I bungled througout the piece because I get excited when I feel I can play through the piece. I rushed the second half, too bad coz it's the more interesting portion. 03/30/2009.
Jose Valdez
Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak
Still one of my favorite practice pieces. Enthralling even after years of playing the piece. 02/21/2009
Loosely translated "Because of a flower/woman", this is another one of Florante Aguilar's magnificent kundiman arrangements. I underestimated the skills necessary to play this piece. It sounds simple and the arpeggio seemed straightforward enough. However, the challenge lies in keeping the flow of music consistent without sounding too mechanical. 11/18/2006
Leopoldo Silos
11/18/2006 audio only version 02/21/2009 version
Maala-ala Mo Kaya (Will You Remember)
Tried to record again after more than 2 years. I still like playing this piece.
02/21/2009
Recorded and mastered a little bright but this is a lot better than the previous piece. Now here's a gem of a piece arranged by Florante Aguilar. I have always admired his arrangements of Filipino kundiman or folk songs. When he made this piece available in VGORecordings, I did not waste time in purchasing it. - 11/11/2006
Constancio De Guzman
11/11/2006 audio-only version 02/21/2009 version
Cadiz
I've overhauled the fingerings for this piece. It is basically my very own arrangement and have nothing written down to help me remember it in case I forget. MY first attempt below is a far cry from this newer rendition. 02/19/2009
Ever since I watched Julian Bream play this, I never stopped wanting to play it myself. It presents very challenging left hand fingerings. This one needs to be updated with an improved version in the near future. 6/27/2007
I wish I could have played it better and not rushed the sections. I'm not happy with this rendition and will try to re-record it soon (or not) 02/19/09
J.S. Bach
Milonga
There is a version by Cardoso on YouTube that contains tons more variations than this published version. This version is the one played by most players. My problem is maintaining a consistent tempo since I tend to rush some parts. 01/21/09
Jorge Cardoso
Hindi Kita Malilimutan
Florante Aguilar's arrangement of a classic Filipino song. Sung and popularized by Basil Valdez, this piece is about a mother's promise to never forget and abandon her child. Straightforward playing and relatively simple fingerings. 01/21/09
Manoling Francisco
Allegro
From Frederick Noad's "The Baroque Guitar" anthology book. Great fingerings, but I had to change some of them to suit my physical limitations. Some mistakes along the way, but all in all, a very fun piece to play. It builds up in several places which is very tempting to lose the tempo. I have to keep my calm as the crescendo approaches in several places. The slurs could have been done with two strings but I did not bother learning it, maybe someday. 01/10/09
Domenico Scarlatti
Chaconne in Dm
Almost two years later, I tried revisiting the Chaconne. I think I've improved (a little) in that I can play with less mistakes now. I've also reworked the fingerings so they are much more pleasant on my hand and fingers. I left the older audio/video files available so I can compare them later. 12/27/2008
Despite the struggle, I have tried to record this piece from beginning to end. It requires a tremendous amount of concentration, consistency and stamina to play this gigantic piece. It will probably take me many more years to conquer this piece, but for now I am satisfied with my level of playing. 01/07/2007
I also have some video recording of the BWV1004 Chaconne in Dm in bits and pieces. Hopefully I'll be able to play it from start to end...one day...without mistakes...dream on
JS Bach
PART 1
PART 2
mp3 -
video 01 - video 02 - video 03 -
Himig Bilang 4
I wish I can play this as good as the masters. This version has no dynamics at all. I'm still more conscious about hitting the notes than playing the music. 10/31/2008
Jose Valdez
Las Dos Hermanitas
One of my dream pieces. Simple yet fascinating to play. Took me a week to learn this and play it at this level. I'm sure my rendition will improve overtime. 10/30/2008
Francisco Tarrega
Manang Biday
Growing up in the Philippines, I have heard this Ilocano folk song performed in movies of old (50s and 60s). Florante gives the song a new life with his colorful arrangement ala Ryan Cayabyab. The fingerings are,as usual, very difficult for me. 10/11/2008
Traditional
Matud Nila (They Said...)
Classic Visayan (Cebuano) song transcribed by Jose Velez. I don't know the song but have heard it mentioned many times in conversations that I just had to try it out. It departs from the classic kundiman in more ways than one. The Spanish influence is unmistakable but the melody is truly Filipino. I have just learned this piece as evidenced by my reading the sheet music as I play it. 10/10/2008
Zubiri, Ben
Usahay
Very nice Visayan (Cebuano) piece that's a tad harder to play than Nahan. I've only heard this played on the piano during a wedding ceremony. 05/18/2008
Gonzales Angus, Juanito
Nahan (Where)
Another Filipino gem used as soundtrack in the movie "Patayin sa sindak si Barbara (Kill Barbara with fright)". This is an arrangement by Jose Valdez and the sheet music can be purchased at vgorecordings.com. I'm not very familiar with this piece/song and the sheet music does not indicate dynamics, so I did my best guess at applying some dynamics. Overall, this a simple piece and the fingerings indicated do not need to be changed to play this. 05/18/2008
Ernani Cuenco
Fantasie in Em
Weiss was one of the great lute composers, a contemporary of Bach actually. This arrangement and fingerings are straight out of Noad's Solo Guitar Playing 2 book. I've heard renditions in Dm and they sound better but I have no sheet music for that key. 02/29/2008
Sylvius Leopold Weiss
Asturias (Leyenda)
Trying to play this piece (again). Just need more confidence in executing this one. 02/27/2009
A classic that I haven't mastered yet. I've been elluding this piece for many years. Even after starting to study it a year ago, I never really seriously played it. The triplets on the B second string continue to be the challenge for me. 01/29/2008
Isaac Albeniz
01/27/08 audio-only version
02/27/2009 video
La Catedral - Preludio
I'm starting to relearn this suite beginning with first movement which was actually written many years after the 2nd and 3rd movements. I flubbed a note towards the end, but it hopefully did not spoil the entire rendition. 12/24/2007
Agustin Barrios
Serenata Espanola
I loved Julian Bream's version of this serenade. Tarrega's transcription of this piano piece (which I play here, except for the ending which I just picked up from Bream's version) is a must-have for any classical guitarist's repertoire. I enjoy playing this especially in-between learning new pieces. 12/24/2007
Joaquin Malats
Una Limosna Por El Amor de Dios
The last and greatest piece of the great guitarist Barrios. I just recalled this piece which I've long forgotten. Tremolo is not my long suit and I'm struggling to improve the technique. My AI fingers are too sympathetic preventing me from keeping the strokes even. Here's my latest attempt at the piece. 10/18/2007
Agustin Barrios Mangore
Nocturne Reverie Op. 19
One of the few great examples of tremolo pieces, I have started to study this gigantic piece. It rivals the complexities of Barrios' famous tremolo pieces, Sueno en la floresta and Ultimo Canto, both of which I play(or used to, at least). This is a composite video of my practice. I have been listening to this piece for a very long time and it's one of my "dream pieces" that I said I could never play in my lifetime. One night, I was inspired to learn so I picked up the guitar and studied the music. After two weeks, here's what I have to show. 9/23/2007
Giulano Regondi
La Maja de Goya
My latest endevour is this piece. It's turning out to be my favorite piece to play. Challenges to right and left-hands are just about equal. 7/31/2007
Enrique Granados
Gnosienne No. 1
I wanted to record Cadiz but I couldn't get past the first few bars so I recorded this piece by Satie. It's very simple but there are awkward fingerings that I'm still struggling to perfect. 6/26/2007
Erik Satie
Granada
It's been a while since I posted anything here. It's because I bought a new guitar (Antonio Loriente Angela) and had been busy just playing with it. I extracted this audio from my practice video playing Granada. Until recently, I never played any of Albeniz' pieces. Now I'm studying this along with Asturias, Cadiz and Sevilla. 5/27/2007
Isaac Albeniz
Valse No 4 Op 8
Just tryng out a guitar I borrowed. I re-recorded valse no. 4 and shortened some parts. 2/09/2007
Agustin Barrios
Choro Da Saudade
What can say? I'm a sucker for Barrios' music. I didn't want to post this version because of the phone ringing in the background. After a while, I realized it may take a long time for me to record this again. 2/07/2007
Agustin Barrios
Prelude in D
This prelude, originally a cello piece, is very well-known among guitarists. My playing is a little on the slow side and I flubbed a note towards the end of the piece. 12/13/2006
JS Bach
Recuerdos dela Alhambra
On a good day, I think I can play this better. Tremolo creates the illusion of a continuous single-string arpeggio (the first beat being masked by the bass line). My tremolo comes and goes. It has been a source of great satisfaction when I can summon it competently. Conversely, the frustration is indescribable when I can't seem to get a single bar going. 12/10/2006
Francisco Tarrega
Koyunbaba
A very enthralling piece in C#m tuning. This is really a technically simple piece and very repetitive in many areas. It is didactic in nature ,albeit a masterpiece, and challenges the player to demonstrate basic guitar skills (slurs, arpeggio, etc.) in a consistent and elegant manner. All four movements (Moderato, Mosso, Cantabile and Presto) are great to play. My version is a bit improvisational in that I did not follow the notes (e.g. repetitions) as written. With mistakes galore, I have started to attempt to document my playing of this great piece. 12/02/2006
Carlo Domeniconi
I - Moderato
II - Mosso
III - Cantabile
IV - Presto
Cavatina (theme from the movie "Deer Hunter")
I have a hard time capturing the spirit and emotions that this piece evokes. It may be because I'm so engrossed in getting the fingerings right. It's fun to play and every guitarist should have this in his backpocket, ready to play when the occasion demands it. 12/02/2006
Stanley Meyer
video -
mp3 -
Tanging Yaman (Only Treasure)
I remember this song (I actually sang here) from my choir days at EDSA Shrine in the Philippines. I multi-tracked my voice and guitars. After a hundred tries,
I think this version approximates the composer's original vocal arrangements. (Of course it would have been better if I can sing in tune...but that's another story).
11/28/2006
Fr. Manoling Francisco
Romance (Forbidden Games)
What's classical guitar without this classic piece? Thought I'd slow down a bit and go back to some basics. 11/26/2006
Anonymous
Theme from Schindler's List
This recording is based on John Williams' (the guitarist) transcription. I came upon a sheet music that closely resembles William's rendition (in key at least)
but it still did not come close to his recorded version. I transcribed most of the missing parts by ear, especially the transposition from Gm to Cm and back. I however
retained some of the harmonizations that I found to be more interesting than Williams' version (e.g. the ending is the pizzicato from the sheet music). Watching the movie
itself (a great one by the way) also helped me understand the music. 11/22/2006
John Williams
Valse No. 3 Op. 8
One of my all-time favorite pieces although I didn't do justice to the piece in this recording. Barrios' compositions are notoriously hard to play and yet are
perfect for the guitar. This piece has so many dimensions in it that the player has to shift the mood in every section. 11/15/2006
Agustin Barrios
In Sorrow's Wake
Recorded this with my MR-8 MKII (my wife's bday gift to me). Tried recording in stereo using one condenser and one dynamic mic. The dynamic mic did not
do a good job as evidenced by the distorted bass in the left channel (or maybe it was the mixdown?). Panned hard to the right and produced hiss on right channel....it's a
learning experience. 11/10/2006
Andrew York
Prelude 1 from the Well-Tempered Clavier
A very well-known piece by the master.
JS Bach
Prelude in C#
Canarios
Gaspar Sanz
mp3 - video -
Un Dia de Noviembre
Leo Brouwer
mp3 -
Capricho Arabe
Francisco Tarrega
Andecy
I've always loved playing "feel good" type pieces like this one. It's very contemporary in form and catchy so I often make it one of the first pieces I play in front
of friends.
Andrew York
Elegia (Castles of Spain)
Federico Moreno Torroba
Etude No. 1
Heitor Villalobos
Danza Brasileira
Jorge Morel
Xodo Da Baiana
Dilermando Reis
Wild Mountain Thyme
Scott Tennant
Classical Gas
Mason Williams
BWV1006a Prelude (putol)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Air on the G String
Johann Sebastian Bach
BWV998 Prelude
Johann Sebastian Bach
Celtic Tune
This is my first try at recording using my SLG-100N Yamaha Silent Guitar. The recording was done in mono although the guitar output is stereo.I just did not
have the correct cable available.
Frederic Hand
Sound of Bells (Sons de Carrilhoes)
Joao Pernambuco
audio only older version
04/18/09 video
Venezuelan Dance 1
Antonio Lauro
Venezuelan Dance 2
Antonio Lauro
Venezuelan Dance 3
Antonio Lauro
Chi Mai
Ennio Morricone
Valse Francaise
Francis Kleynjans
Opus 60 No. 1
Francis Kleynjans
Opus 60 No. 2
Francis Kleynjans
Older attempts
Here are various recordings done at different times. Some are better than others. Most were played on my Yamaha C40 which I keep to this day but is no longer playable. The top has warped because I left it directly in front of the heating duct for long periods of time, not knowing the effects. That guitar cost me a month's salary in the Philippines. I initially left it in PI when we immigrated to the US in 1996 but was able to convince someone to bring it to the US in 1998. It's only value is "sentimental".
Various
Choro No.1 (Heitor Villalobos)
Prelude No. 2 (Heitor Villalobos)
Study No. 5 (Fernando Sor)
Study No. 6 (Fernando Sor)
Study No. 13 (Fernando Sor)
Study No. ?? (Fernando Sor)
PFA Fugue (JS Bach)
Gavotte in D (JS Bach)
CANTATA 147 (JS Bach)
Bouree (JS Bach)
Adelita (Francisco Tarrega)
Lagrima(Francisco Tarrega)
Retratos Brasileiros(Baden Powell)
If you have questions or comments, you can send me an email at raffylata@yahoo.com
