M O N T E S S O R I
G U I T A R
an introduction to classical guitar
New Cape
SELF STUDY
DEREK
GRIPPER
© Derek Gripper 2012 www.derekgripper.com ℗ Montessori Guitar Cover photo by Gorm Helfjord Photos by Christine Nachmann and Klaus Wildner
Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870. She was Italy’s first woman doctor and began working in education in the early 1900’s. Montessori Guitar is based on Montessori’s method, applied to the guitar for the first time. The method is simple: it is the teacher’s task to remove obstacles, to present the material as simply as possible, and to allow space for the learner’s own spontaneous discoveries. A lesson is called a “presentation” and it should be simple and clear and present one thing at a time. So, take it easy. Return to early presentations. Jump forward to later ones. See what happens. Be interested in what your fingers can do. Derek Gripper
presentation one: TREBLE STRING MELODIES presentation two: TREBLE STRING CHORDS presentation three: MELODIES WITH RHYTHMIC NOTATION presentation four: MELODIES WITH BASS ACCOMPANIMENT presentation five: CHORDS AND PATTERNS
presentation one TREBLE STRING MELODIES ...an introduction to playing and reading simple melodies on the first three strings of the guitar. Introducing the basic concepts of guitar tablature, the use of the left and right hands, and the names of the treble strings.
g
b
e
The Treble Strings
Tablatures use a line to represent a string.
Tablature
This tablature represents the three treble strings
The Treble String Tablature
The e string is the top line because it makes the highest sound.
e
b
g
The Treble String Tablature
Gently pluck the strings with the right hand thumb.
Plucking the String
The position of the 0 shows which string should be played by the right hand thumb. Read from left to right:
0 0 0
0 0 0
Open Strings
A cycle is a melody that is played over and over again
0 0
0 0
0
0
0 0
0
0
0
0 0
0
0 0
0
0
0 0
0
0
0 0
Open String Patterns
1
2
3
4
Frets
1
2
3
4
The Left Hand Fingers
2
3
Left Hand Numbers on the Tablature
on the e string
on the b string
0 2 3
2 3 0
3 0 2
0 2 3
0 2 3
2 3 0
3 0 2
0 2 3
0 2 3
2 3 0
3 0 2
0 2 3
on the g string
Left Hand Numbers on Different Strings
2
0 2
2
0
0
0
2
2
0
2
Melodies on the Treble String Tablature
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
0 2
0
2
2
0
2 end
3
3
2
2
0
0 2
0
0
0 3
3
2
2
0
3
3
2
2
0
0
start at the beginning again
Ode to Joy Ludwig van Beethoven
0
0
1
3
3
1
0 3
0 1
1
3
0
0
1
0 3
3
3
1
3
0 3
0 1
1
3
3
1
1
Little Hans
0 2
2
0
2
2
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
2
0
0
0
2 2
2
Happy Birthday
0 0
2
0 0
0
3
1
0
2
3
1
0
0 1 1
0
0 0 1 1
2 0 1
3
1
Peas Pudding Hot
0 0
0 2
1
1 1
0
0 0 0 0
0 2
2
2
0
London Bridge
0
2
0
0 3
3
2
0 0
2
0
3
2
2
3
0
0 3
3
2
0 0
2 2
Dinosaurs: Part 1
0 2 1
0
1
0
0
0
3
1
0
3
1
3
3
1
0
0 2
0 0
0
0
0
Dinosaurs: Part 2
0 2 1
0
1
0
1
0
0
3
1
0
3
1
3
3
0
1
0 2
0
0 2
presentation two TREBLE STRING CHORDS ...an introduction to playing and reading harmonic accompaniments on the first three strings of the guitar. Introducing the names of the right hand fingers, three string chord diagrams and the use of right hand patterns with simple chord progressions. The musical examples are accompaniments to the songs from the first part.
i
m
p
The Right Hand Letters
p
i
m
The Right Hand Fingers on the Strings
Each of the treble strings is played by one of the right hand fingers:
p
i
m
Right Hand Letters on the Tablature
p i
i
m
m p
m
i
i
m p
p
i
m p
i
m p
Right Hand Patterns
p
m m i i
m m i i
m
m m
i i p p
p
p
m p
p
i
m p
i p
m
i p
i
Right Hand Patterns with Fingers Together
A chord is a three or more notes sounding together. Sometimes the notes of a chord are played one after the other. This is called a broken chord. The accompaniments in this part of the book use broken chords.
A chord diagram shows the strings of the guitar vertically
g b e
Three String Chord Diagram: Strings
1st Fret 2nd Fret 3rd Fret
Three String Chord Diagram: Frets
1
2
3
4
The Left Hand Fingers
The numbers for the left hand second finger can be placed anywhere on the chord diagram
1
1 1 1
2
2
2
2
Placing the Left Hand Fingers on the Chord Diagram
Before playing the following right hand pattern...
i
p
m
...place 2 on the second fret of the g string as below:
2
Combining Right Hand Patterns with Chord Diagrams
A chord progression is a series of chords or broken chords played one after the other.
p
1
i
1
m
Play this right hand pattern twice for each of the chord diagrams
i
1 3
Combining Right Hand Patterns with Left Hand Numbers
The first and the second fingers at the same time.
1 2
A Chord with Two Fingers
The first, second and third fingers at the same time.
1
2 3
A Chord chord with Three Fingers
Play the following pattern once for each of the chord diagrams below.
p
i
m
i
1 1 2
1
2
1 2
3
Playing a Chord Progression with a Right Hand Pattern
You are now ready to accompany melodies and songs. Play the right hand pattern once for each of the chord diagrams.
Accompanying Ode to Joy
1
1
p
i
m
1 3
3
3
3
3
3
1
i 1
1
1
1
1 3
Accompanying Twinkle
1 2
1 2
1
2
1 2
3 twinkle
1
1 1 2
p
i
m
i
star
little
twinkle
how I
1 2
wonder
what you
are
1 1 2
1
2
1 2
3 up a-
-bove the
world so
high
1 1 2
1
2
1 2
3 like a
diamond
in the
sky
Accompanying Little Hans
p
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1
1
1 2
1 2
1
1
1 2
1 2
m i 1 2
1 2
1 1 2
Accompanying Happy Birthday - Part 1
p
i
m
1
1
1
1
Happy
birth-
day
to
3
3
you
3 Happy-
3
3
3
birth
day
to
1
1
1
you
happy
Accompanying Happy Birthday - Part 2
1
1
1
birth-
day
to
1 2 3
p
i
m
3
3
you
1
1 2
1 2
Happy
1 3
birth
day
to
1
1
1
you
Accompanying Peas Pudding Hot
3 peas pudding
3 hot
1
p
i
m
i
3 peas pudding
cold
3 peas pudding
1
3 in the pot
2 3
3 nine days
old
Accompanying London Bridge
1 2 London Bridge is
1 2 falling down
1
p
i
m
1 2 i
falling down
1 2 London Bridge is
falling down
1 2 falling down
1 1 2 My fair
lady
Accompanying Dinosaurs
1 2
1
1 2
2
1 2
3 dinosaurs lived
long ago
1
1
when the world was
new
1
1
2
p
i
m
i
they were very
big and strong
1
1
2
very scary
1 2
2
too
1 2
3 some of them liked
plants to eat
1
1
from the fertile
floor
1
1
2 some would rather
eat another
2 di-no-
saur
presentation three MELODIES WITH RHYTHMIC NOTATION ...introduces the most common divisions of a crotchet or eighth rhythm, including examples of melodic pieces using these divisions. The notations use three string tablatures with rhythmic notation and the pieces are folk tunes or children’s songs from around the world.
There are two aspects to rhythm: beat: when you tap your foot or clap along to music. rhythm: what happens inside the beat; the little rhythmic patterns that make every song sound different.
Beats are always the same length. Here are three boxes representing three beats. You can keep the beat by saying “Ta” for each box in a regular rhythm.
Ta
Ta
Ta
Crotchet Rhythms
Go Tell Aunt Rhody Go Tell Au Go Tell Aunt Rhody The rhythms are placed inside the beats.
tr
2
3
2
Œ Ó 0
2
Ta
0
22 3 2
2
3
0
0
2 2
0
Œ 0 0 0 0 0 Ó 3Ta fa2 te fi2 3
2
2
Each of these boxes represents one clap of the hand. The clap always happens on Ta
0
0
™™ 0 2Œ0 0Ó2 30 2 Ta te 2 2
3
22
2
0
2 23
30
2
0 2 2 0 0 2 2 3
23 2
0
02
0 20 0 22
0
3
0 2
Crotchet Rhythms
Go Tell Aunt Go Rhody TellGo Aun Te
Aunt Rhody
Say the following rhythms keeping the beat with a regular Ta.
Go Tell Aunt traditional 0 0ŒRhody 0 Œ 0 Go Tell Aunt Go Te ™ ™ Œ ™ 0Œ ™ Go™ Tell Aunt 2 2 0 ™ Rhody 0 2 2 0 3 2 2 Ó 2 ™ 2 2 0 2 ™Ó Ó 2 2 3 23 32 2 3 2 22 Go Tell Aunt Go Rho Tell 0 0 traditional 0 Œ 0 Go Te ™ ™ Œ ™ Œ 2 0 2 2 ™Ó 0 2 2 0 3 2 2 Aunt ™ 2 Rhody ™ Ó 2 2 3 2 2 32 2 3 0
0
™™ Œ 2Ó
2
3 3
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
™™
0
3
2
0
3
0
0
2
0
2 3
3
0
0 0 0 2
0
0
0
2
2
0 0 2
2
Œ ™ 2 ™ Ó 0 2 2 2
2 3 32 2 2
0 2 0 3 20 2
0
2
0 32 23
02
™™
Œ Ó 02
2 2 traditional 0 0 0 00 20 0
3
2
2
2
0
2
0
2
0
™™ 2 ™™ 2Œ 2 0 Ó2 2 3 2
0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 22 3
2
22
2
0 2
2
2
0
2 2
2
32 23
0
Œ
02 0 2 0 020 3 3 2
2 0
3
3 2 2 20 20 32 2 2 3 2 0 0 3 2 20 3 0 2 2 0 0 02 02 02 0 2 0 2 3 2 2 3 2 32 23 2 2 3 3 2 0
2
™™
2
2
0
0 0
2
0
02 2
2
0
™™
Œ 3ŒÓ2
0
02 3 3 0 Saying2Rhythms 0 2 0
2
3
Go Tell Au The rhythms are written above the tablature to show when each notes is played:
™™ 2
2
2
2
3
0
0
2
2
0
3
2
Œ Ó 2
0
3
2
Placing Rhythms Above the Tablature
Go Tell Aunt Rho
™™ 2
2
2
2
3
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
Barlines are used to divide music into sections. This makes it easier to read.
2
2
0
3
2
2 Barlines
2
l Aunt Rhody ™™ 2 2 0 2
0
0 2 2
2
0 3
03
20
0
0
2
2 2
0
0
02
2
2
2
00
2
0
0
3
2
0
traditional 2
3
0 22
0
2
2
™
Go tell Aunt Rhody
0
3
2
3 0
0 0
0
0
0 This final barline shows where the end of the piece is.
Final Barline
Repeat Sign
™™
2
2
0
2
2
™™
0
0
2
0
3
2
Everything in between the two repeat signs is played twice
2
2
3
0
0
2
2
0
Repeat Signs
traditional
3
2
2
0
0
2
0
2
2
Go TellGo Aunt Tell Rho Aun
™™
This note is held for the length of “Ta Ta”:
3
0
0
2
™™
2
2
2
™™0
0
2 2
0
2 2
0
32
Œ Ó Œ 0 Ó0 2 3
0
0 3 2
Rhythms Without Notes
Go Tell Aunt Rhody traditional
™™ 2
2
2
2
3
0
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
2
0
0
0
3
0
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
0
2
0
0
2
2
0
2
0
2
2
0
0
™™
Minuet in G J.S.Bach
3
1
0
3
0
2
1
0
1
2
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
2
1
0
3
0
2
3 0
0 2
0
0
0
0
0
Little Hans traditional
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
0
2
3
2
0
2
0
3
0
0
0
3
0
0
2
0
3
0
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
0 2
2
2
0
0
2
0
3
0 2
Fox, You've Stolen the Goose Traditional
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
2
2
3
1
1
1
3
0
2
3
0
3
0
0
0
3
3
3
0 2
3
0
1
3
1
1
1
3
1
1
0
1
1
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
o on the Bare Branch The following rhythm is similar to Tafatefi, butSwiss one of theChildren's sounds is silent
0
3
Œ Ó 0
0 0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
2
2
1
1
tr
Song
0 0 00 2
0 0 2
2
he Cuckoo Ta(fa)te fi on the Bare Branch Ta fa te fi 3
3
2
2
0 0
3 0
Once you are used to the sound you can call it Ta.tefi 1 1 3 0 0
3
2
2
3
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
Swiss Chi
2
3 0
0
2
0
3
0
2 1
0 1
1
Ta . te fi Ta.tefi
The Cuckoo on the Bare Branch Swiss Children's Song
1
1
0
1
1
3
0
3
3
3 0
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
3
3 0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
3
0
3
0
1
3
0
0 3 The Butterfly 2 0
1
3
tr
The following rhythm is similar to Tafatefi, but two of the middle sounds are silent
™
™Œ 3 Ó0
1 3 0
2
™ 0 1
Ta(fa te)fi 1 3
0
0
0
2 1
3 3
™
0
2
0 2 0
0 0 0 30 2
10 0 0 2 2
Ta fa te fi
1
2
0
Once you are used to the sound you can call it Ta..fi
2
0
2
1
0
3
™ 0 3
2
2 1
3
™
2
3 0
0
1
0
2
2 0
0 0
2
Ta . . fi The Dotted Rhythm
The Butterfly
0
2
2
0
1
1
0
3
3
0
™
™
1
1
3
3
™
traditional
™
0
0
1
1
2
0
0 2
0
0
0
3
3
3
1
0
0
0
0 2
View From Rattvik ™™
0
0
0
1
0
™
3
0
™
0
3
3
3
3
0
0
™
3
1
1
1
1
™
0
Swedish Traditional
™
0 0
2
2
3 0
3
1
3
0
0 2
™
™
1
1
™™
instead of playing with the right hand thumb, one can “walk” with the index and middle fingers.
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
i
m
“Walking” with i and m
you can use this walking pattern
i i
m
i
m
i
2
0
m to play the first line of Twinkle
0 2
0
2
2
Playing Twinkle with i and m
Return to all the melodies in the first and second parts of this book and play them with i and m.
presentation four MELODIES WITH BASS ACCOMPANIMENT
...playing treble string melodies with bass accompaniment. The musical examples are taken from the first and second parts of this book.
E
A
D
The Bass Strings
Up until now the right hand thumb and the right hand fingers have been playing separately. In order to accompany a melody with a bass part, one must be able to play the fingers and the thumb of the right hand at the same time. Use the thumb (p) to play the following bass notes.
E
A
D
Playing Open Bass Strings
while playing the i and m parts on treble strings, the thumb plays the bass strings indicated below the tablature.
i
m
E
i
E
m
E
m
E
i
i
i
i E
m
A
m
E
m
i
i
i A
m
A
m
A
m
i
i
i A
m
D
m
A
m
i
i
i D
m
D
m
D
m
i
i
m
D
m
i
m
D
Playing Treble and Bass Together
While playing the melody with i and m, the bass strings are played by p.
0 2 A
0
2
2
0
2 A
D
A
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
0 2
A
2
0
A
2
2
0 A
D
end
3
3
D
0
2 A
A
A
3
D
D
0 2
A
2
2
3
2 A
0 E
A
0 3
0 E
0 3
0
2
2
0 E start at the beginning again
Little Hans
0 2
2
3
A
0
0
0
0
0
0
E
0 0
2
3
2 A
A
0 2
2
3
A
E
0
0
2 2 A
E
2
A
London Bridge
0
2
0
0 3
3
2
A
A
0 0
2
3
2
E
3
A
0
2
0
0 3
3
2 A
A
0 0 E
2 A
2
Dinosaurs: Part 1
0 2
0
1
A
0
1 3
D
3
0
3
A
1
0
0 A
1
0
3
1
0 2
E
A
0 0 E
0
0
0 E
Dinosaurs: Part 2
0 2
0
1
A
0
1 3
D
3
E
0 A
1
0
E
0
0
3
A
1
0
3
1 A
0 2
A
1
0 2
Go Tell Aunt Rhody traditional
™™ 2
A
2
2
0
A
2
2
0
2
A
3
0
A
0
0
2
E
2
D
0
0
2
A
2
0
A
3
0
3
A
2
2
A
2
2
A
2
3
0
A
0
2
0
0
2
2
E
0
2
D
A
2
0
A
0
™™
The third fret on the E and the A strings gives us two more possibilities for bass accompaniments
3
G
3
C
When the third finger of the left hand is playing the bass G, the fourth finger must play the melody note.
left hand 4th finger
3 3 G
G left hand 3rd finger
Minuet in G J.S.Bach
3
0
0
2
1
3
G
1
C
0 0
0
G
3
1
0
2
0
G
1
3
0
2
0
C
1
0
2
0
2
D
3 0
G
0
0 2
0
0
0
G
0
The Cuckoo on the Bare Branch Swiss Children's Song
1
1
C
1
1
3 0
C
3
G
3
G
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
C
0
0
G
3 0
0
3
C
0
0
1
G
0
3
0
C
0
3
G
C 0
3
1
C
1
C
1
1
1
3
G
3
The Butterfly
0
2
1
0
3
A
2
A
0
1
3
0
A
™
™
1
A
1
3
A
3
™
traditional
™
0
A
1
2
0
A
0
1
A
0
3
3
G 0
2
E
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
C
C 0
2
A
presentation five CHORDS AND PATTERNS
...introduces the playing and reading of chord diagrams and right hand patterns, providing an introduction to playing classical guitar pieces with constant right hand patterns and changing chords.
Chord diagrams are usually used in songbooks above the song lyrics. They remain the clearest means of showing the position of the fingers on the fretboard. Chord diagrams are used here to introduce music where the guitarist must place more than one left hand finger onto the fretboard at one time.
A right hand pattern is one way to create rhythm in guitar music. These patterns use a combination of the four fingers of the right hand to pluck the strings of the guitar. The patterns in this book are written using a combination of the traditional Spanish guitar’s right hand letters and the tablature often used to write guitar music.
This tablature represents all six strings of the guitar
Six String Tablature
e
b
g
Six String Tablature: Treble Strings
E
A
D
Six String Tablature: Bass Strings
p i
p
m
a
i m a
The Right Hand
For the following musical examples p plays the bass strings and i,m and a play the treble strings.
p
p
p
i
m
a
Position of the Right Hand Fingers
a
m p
a
m
i
i
a i
a
m p
p
i
m p
m
p
m
a i
a i
p
Right Hand Patterns
p
m i
m i
p
m i
m i
p
p
a m i
p
a m i
m i
p
a p
m i
m i
p
m i
Right Hand Patterns with the Fingers Playing Together
treble strings
bass strings
Chord Diagrams
E
A
D
g
b
e
Chord Diagrams: String Names
1st fret
3rd fret 5th fret
Chord Diagrams: The Frets
1
2
3
4
Left Hand Fingers
The left hand fingers can be placed on any fret.
1
e 1st finger 1st fret
1
e 1st finger 2nd fret
1
1 e first finger 4th fret
e first finger 3rd fret
2
2 2 g 2nd finger 2nd fret
D 2nd finger 4th fret
2 e 2nd finger 2nd fret
e 2nd finger 5th fret
Chord Diagrams with the Left Hand Numbers
p
a
m
i
Before playing the right hand pattern above, place the left hand fingers as follows:
2
1
Combining a Right Hand Pattern and a Chord Diagram
i
m
a
m
i
p Play the right hand pattern once for each of the following chords. Repeat as a cycle.
2
1
1
Playing a Chord Progression with a Right Hand Pattern
Sometimes the position of the thumb will change from chord to chord. We indicate this change by placing the p over the bass string on the chord diagram.
i
m
a
m
i
p p
p
2
For this chord the right hand thumb plays the E string
For this chord the right hand thumb plays the A string
i p
p
p
3
p
1
m
a
m
i p
p
2
2
p
p
2
2
p
3
From Etude in e minor by Dionisio Aguado
m
i
a
m
i
m
i
p
p
p
2
1
p
p
2
1
1
2
1
From Etude in A minor by Dionisio Aguado
m
i
a
m
i
m
i
p
p
p
2
1
p
p
2
1 3
2
1
2
1
From Etude in A minor by Dionisio Aguado
x2
play the right hand pattern twice for this chord
x2 play this chord progression twice with one right hand pattern for each chord Repeats
a
m
i
p p
p
p
1 2
3
4 x2
p
1
p
p
3
1 x2
p
1 3
3 x2
x2
x2
From Study No. 19, Opus 60 by Fernando Sor
m
i
i
p
i
m
i
p p
p
p
2
1 2
p
p
2
1
2
p
2
1
1
p
1
p
1 2
1
1
From Study No. 18, Opus 60 by Fernando Sor
m
i
i
p
i
m
i
p p
p
2
p
1 2
p
3
3
2
1
2
2
1
p
p
1
p
p
1 4
1
2
1
1
From Study No. 18, Opus 60 by Fernando Sor
m
i
m
m p
p p
p
p
p
1 2
2
p
1 2
2
23
1
p
2
1
3
From Study No. 24, Opus 29 by Fernando Sor
Sometimes the position of the fingers i and m changes from one chord diagram to the next. This is indicated on the chord diagram.
i
m
i
p The Right Hand Pattern remains the same, but the position of i and m changes. i m
2
1
i m
1
Changing the Position of the Right Hand Fingers in a Chord Progression
m
p i m
3 4
2
p i m
3
2
p
3
i m
2
3 4
p
i
p
1
i
i m
2
p i m
1 3
p i m
1
i
m
3 4 p i m
2
p i m
3
12
From Etude in B minor by Fernando Sor
m
p i m
3 4
2
p
3
i
i m
2
p
i
m
i
p
i m
1
p i m
1 1
3
2 3
p i m
p i m
2 3 4
2
p i m
3
2
p i m
1 3 4
2
Part 2 from Etude in B minor by Fernando Sor
i p
1 2
i p
2 3
m p
12
a i
2
1
3
variation of Estudio No. I by Heitor Villa Lobos
i p
1 2
i p
m p
2 3
a i
1
m
12
a i
m p
2
i p
1
3
i
4
4
variation of Estudio No. I by Heitor Villa Lobos
I II III IV V
one
two
three
four
five
Roman Numerals
1st Fret
II
2nd fret
III
3rd Fret
Positions
First Position
1
1st Finger 1st Fret
Second Position
II 1
1st Finger 2nd Fret
Third Position
III 1
1st Finger 3rd Fret
Playing Chord Diagrams in Different Positions
m
i
a
m
m
i
i
p
p
p
2
1
III
p
2
1
V
p
2 3
III
2
1
a
a
m
i
m
a
i
p
p
VI
II
3
2
V
1
2
IV
m
1
2
III
i
1
p
2
1 3 Variation of Estudio VI by Leo Brouwer
a
m
a
m
i
a
i
p
p
IV
1 4
II
3
1
IV
2
1 3
IV
m
1
3
2
III
i
1
3
p
2
2 4 From Estudio VI by Leo Brouwer
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa Lobos was born in Brazil in 1887. When he was eighteen years old he started to explore Brazilian music by travelling widely throughout the country. These journeys inspired him so much that he gave up the idea of a formal training in European music and started composing pieces by improvising on the guitar. From here on his career as a composer started to take shape with many works being written for many different instruments. In the 1920’s he met the Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia who asked him to write a guitar study. Villa Lobos wrote twelve which he called Douze Études (12 studies) which took little bits of pieces by Brazilian musicians and created challenging pieces for the classical guitar. He went on to write a number of other works for the guitar inspired by the music of street musicians. Many years later he even composed a piece for guitar and orchestra. Villa-Lobos died in 1959. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in Brazilian music.
Fernando Sor
Fernando Sor was a Spanish guitarist and composer born in 1778. When Sor was young the guitar was not considered a very serious instrument and certainly not an instrument for performances in concert halls. Sor’s many compositions and performances throughout Europe gave him the reputation as the best guitarist in the world as well as making people realise that concert msuic could also be played on the guitar. Because Sor was well known and because the guitar was a popular instrument he wrote many works for beginners to play as well as an important instruction manual, The Method for the Spanish Guitar. There were very few guitarists who were able to play his more difficult works so he was forced to compose many simple pieces that other people could play.
Dionisio Aguado
Aguado was born in Spain in 1784 and learnt to play the guitar there. Late in his life Aguado met Sor and the two became friends and even played duets together. Aguado wrote a method on the guitar called Escuela de Guitarra. In this book he describes how to play the guitar using the nails of the right hand which differed from players like Sor who used only the flesh. He also described his invention of a special stand for playing the guitar which is pictured above.
Leo Brouwer
Leo Brouwer is a Cuban guitarist, composer and conductor. He was born in 1939 in Havana, Cuba. He has written many very original works for guitar influenced by classical music, Afro-Cuban music, jazz and modern composition. He has written many pieces for solo guitar including a big collection of short studies which he wrote during the 1960‘s. These pieces explore many new techniques and styles of guitar playing. Brouwer also wrote larger concert pieces for guitar as well as a number of concertos for guitar and orchestra.
The presentations, musical examples, and pieces in this book represent the lessons given with the Montessori Guitar materials by Derek Gripper. The book can be used to teach oneself, or as a guide for the teacher’s use of the Montessori Guitar materials. For complete scores of the notations in this book, or for more information on Montessori Guitar and to download recordings and scores by Derek Gripper visit www.derekgripper.com
