What piece of music never fails to make you smile or feel uplifted, and why?

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martin.3
2 yrs ago
24replies

Dear tonebuddies!

I'm curious: What's your go-to piece of classical guitar music that always brings a smile to your face and lifts your mood?

For me, it's the 3rd movement of Torroba's Sonatina. Its energy and joyous rhythm always leave me feeling uplifted and full of life. 🎼

What about you? It doesn't have to be a piece you can play, just one that resonates with you. Who knows? Your selection might inspire others in our community to discover a new favorite. 🙌

Looking forward to your responses! 💡

- Eric
- 2 yrs ago
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Surprise, I'm going to go with some Sor! 🙂

My favorites piece by him is perhaps the Grand Solo Op 14, but it is way beyond my playing level.

My favorite piece that I can (sort of) play is the Andante Largo Op 5 No 5 (but I also LOVE the Op 11 minuets, especially numbers 4 and 5).

My go to piece to just play and make me happy is Op 60 No 16.
- Jose.1
- 2 yrs ago
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Capricho Árabe by Francisco Tárrega; it just transports me immediately to southern Spain. To me is just amazing how Tárrega achieved this; Pure Genius!

José
- Peter.11
- 2 yrs ago
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Alexandre Tansman, Danza Pomposa from his Cavatina really does the trick for me. My current favorite version is that of Edson Lopes. https://youtu.be/UxROvZRdjkM
- Eric
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  Peter What a wonderful piece! So full of joy, and you can see that joy in Edson’s whole face and body as he plays. Awesome!
- William_Huva
- 2 yrs ago
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Duarte's English Suite Prelude. It has been with me my whole life. Whether listening or playing, it always lifts me up and energizes me.
- Peter.11
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  William Huva so glad to see that I’m not alone in loving this, I rarely find folks that know about it!
- Dan_Griffith
- 2 yrs ago
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My fav is Rodrigo Concierto De Aranjuez. In the early 70's, I was fortunate to attend a two day master class with Alirio Diaz followed by Mr Diaz performing the concierto with the Detroit Symphony. This is NOT something I can play, in fact after 60 yrs I am still pretty much a beginner when it comes to Classical guitar.
- Eduardo
- 2 yrs ago
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Tango en Skai by Roland Dyens. When I started to dig into the classical guitar repertoire, this composition was one of the first pieces by a contemporary composer that I ever heard and since the first time it made me feel uplifted and inspired to play the guitar.
- Geoffrey_Hui
- 2 yrs ago
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It got to be Bach's Prelude in Suite No. 1 BWV 1007. Although it is a transcription from the cello, the guitar lends it a clean tone with great clarity. The positive moving energy inspires me every time I hear it. My favorite performer of the piece is Irina Kulikova whose mother is a renowned cellist!
- Michael_Carlson
- 2 yrs ago
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“Sunday Morning Overcast” by Andrew York. Built in positive energy to make the best of what I am faced with.

“Grand Overture” Op.61 by Mauro Giuliani. Like the stages of the flower life cycle, passages that are the bud opening to a flower.
- Derry_Cox
- 2 yrs ago
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At this moment it's F. Sor Op. 6, No. 12. Sometimes I need to stop what I'm doing so I can sit down and play Sor op6 #12. Next week or in a few weeks it'll be something else. There's so much to enjoy.
- Eric
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  Derry Cox Such a wonderful piece!
- don.2
- 2 yrs ago
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For me it has to be Mozart's 12 variations of twinkle twinkle little star on the piano. The first time I heard it was through this anime Nodame Cantabile (awesome anime about symphony btw) and I love it ever since.

There is also a guitar arrangement that will be my Everest, one day...
- Retired
  
  Jack_Stewart
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  don Hey Don, here is a modern take on Mozart's Twinkle variations. It has the same kind of humor as Mozart's version from the perspective of a 300 years later.
- don.2
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart Thanks for sharing! Very avant garde. But I'd prefer the original variation, the complexities are much less subtle but in a very child like and very happy abundance. The modern variation is a bit darker, the melody hidden and much more subtle. I like it too but not something that will put smile in my face!
- Retired
  
  Jack_Stewart
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  don I actually find some humor in this work, though I think it is way too long and relentless. I think a 'highlights ' of 3-4 minutes would have been much more effective.
  
  BTW I recently came across this that I think you might enjoy. Joyous it is!
- don.2
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart Yes I do agree is too long, maybe just the first couple of variations rather than all 12. Thanks for sharing! Yes I really like it.
- Retired
- Jack_Stewart
- 2 yrs ago
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The piece that comes to mind immediately is the 1st movement of Bach's BWV 996 suite. I am very partial to Bach's fugues (BWV 1001 Adagio and Fugue is another). This is a piece that I played decades ago and it is near the top of my current list to learn Maybe someday soon.

Bach's Chaconne is a monumental go to piece for me but I doubt I will ever be able to play it.

On a lighter note, Blues for Henry by Derk van der Veen and Hot Club Francois and Benga Beat both by Gary Ryan are really fun. The van der Veen and Hot Club are pieces I have started and hope to complete at some point.

There will be others as I think of them. Oh wait, did you say 1 piece?

Oh well.....
- don.2
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart You need 10 mins of Teletubies on repeat each day. 😂 They are all beautiful pieces but all so sad. I personally feel most of Bach's music to be too sad. The happiest music I ever heard from Bach is perhaps the Cello suite no 6 prelude.
- Retired
  
  Jack_Stewart
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  don I guess I never thought of them as being sad, at least not the fugues. I guess the Chaconne certainly qualifies as sad, profoundly so. However, you should check out the other pieces I mentioned. They are almost rocking.
  
  10 minutes of Teletubies?😮 Every day?!!!!😵 Am I so unrdeemable that I should be subjected to such torment?!!!😭🤪
- don.2
  
  2 yrs ago
  
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  Jack Stewart To be fair, for the most part of my life, the only Bach I knew was the lead singer of Skid Row. 😄
  
  But from all those pieces that I heard, just doesn't strike me as happy or uplifitng. I'll definitely check out the Fugues.
  
  Btw just found out that there is a new tonebase lesson on the Chaconne. There are some who can't get enough of Teletubies, they can be quite strangely addictive. 😂
- joosje
- 2 yrs ago
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A piece that will always make me smile (and i will never be able to play) is Tarrega's variaciones sobre el Carnaval de Venecia. So much humor and virtuosity... 😄🎶🎵
- Derek
- 2 yrs ago
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Mine is another Tarrega piece the Grand Jota! I love it played by Pepe Romero with the quiet section followed by a pretty loud rasguedo - such a shock to the ears! I'd love to be able to play it in a concert and see the audience reaction!
- Mark_Janka
- 2 yrs ago
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It comes at "uplifting" from a different angle, I guess, but for me it's Emmanuel Sowicz's arrangement of "Gracia a la Vida," which I learned about here on tb (https://app.tonebase.co/guitar/live/player/arranging-for-guitar-gracias-a-la-vida). I play it nearly every morning before starting my day.