The Guitar and Its Music

James Tyler and Paul Sparks document the evolution of the guitar from the mid-sixteenth century to the start of the nineteenth century. The text focuses on the transition from the four-course Renaissance instrument to the five-course Baroque guitar, eventually reaching the six-string configuration of the Classical era. Tyler analyzes specific manuscript sources and theoretical writings to define historical tuning systems and playing techniques. Sparks provides a detailed investigation of the neglected period between 1759 and 1800, detailing how the instrument functioned in social and professional music-making before the modern era.

This book serves musicologists and performers specialized in historical plucked instruments. Readers gain a technical understanding of early notation and performance practices based on primary source evidence. The inclusion of an expanded bibliography of Baroque repertoire and annotated lists of historical tutors allows musicians to locate specific scores and apply authentic techniques to their playing. By finishing this volume, the reader understands the structural changes and documented repertoire that defined the guitar’s development across two hundred and fifty years.

Outward-looking and clear-cut; a moderate read.

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