Recommended classical guitar CDs?

The "tastiest" classical guitar CD I've ever heard was played by Emanuel Baruecco who played music of two famous classical spanish guitar composers: Leo Brouer and Hector Villa Lobos. This guitarist can put his spirit onto every single note he plays.

I used to have a bunch of Christofer Parkening but bored pretty soon. Despite him being super fast and technical he plays to make you feel that you're watching black-and-white TV. Almost everything played at the same loudness and speed.

I havent' went further to research more cuban guitarists but I feel that they're the best in guitar world.

You'll find something of a division of opinion between those who like the florid, Romantic style and those who prefer a more "classical" approach. My suggestion is to try some of each and decide for yourself. I'm in the latter camp, and a big fan of John Williams. He's probably at his best with Baroque transcriptions. Check out "The Baroque Album" and his playing of the Bach lute suites--which may be his finest work. He did a CD of Barrios Mangore a few years back, "From the Jungles of Paraguay," or you can try his earlier effort on much of the same material, "Latin American Music of Barrios and Ponce." A good sampler of his work is "The Seville Concert." And then there's "Brouwer: The Black Decameron."

But I'm running on here. Best first choices are probably Seville and Bach.

Check out Steve Hackett (from Genesis) smokin' classical recordings: Bay Of Kings (1983), Momentum (1988), Sketches Of Satie (2000).

John Williams is the best classical player (technically almost perfect) since Andre Segovia!

Two more in addition to the fine choices listed above:
1. Andres Segovia's recording of the JS Back lute suites(transcribed for guitar).
2. Sharon Isben's(on the faculty at Julliard) recording of the JSB lute suites.
Bach's lute suites have stood the test of time for more that 200 years. Bach was a "two birds with one stone" guy. He had to teach performers and write music for them. The lute suites are great music and great techniques builders. Most guitarists have played them.

My two favorites, for recording quality and performances, are the Assad brothers playing baroque transcriptions on Nonesuch, and the astonishing versions of Bach's Violin Sonatas and Partitas played by Paul Galbraith on Delos.

I have a couple suggestions for classical guitar. First, try anything by the Spanish composer Rodrigo. I suggest looking at Phillips' "Complete Concertos for Guitar and Harp" (2 CD's).

Second, my absolute favorite classical guitar music is from a classical CD collection I got at Sam's Club. The two in particular are called "The Art of Classical Guitar" and "Guitar Masterpieces", performed by the St Cecelia Symphony Orchestra and sold my Direct Source Special Products, Inc. (Item #GC16502 and GC16512). These are absolutely beautiful recordings of popular classical pieces (Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Pachelbel's Canon, Schubert's serenade, etc) performed on the guitar.

Good luck!

Michael

Segovia playing Granados and Albeniz.

I second the recommendations for the Assad brothers, Paul Galbraith, and Sharon Isben.

Sorry for my wrong spelling of the follows: Leo Brower instead of Brouer and Barrueco instead of Baruecco.
You can visit Barrueco's site www.barrueco.com.