This is not a comprehensive list – I have selected a few of the most important/popular composers. A significantly larger list is found here. Note that birth dates may be open to debate since composers listed here may have been born during periods of poor record keeping.
2/09/1770-2/17/1841 Carulli, Ferdinando; Carulli was an Italian composer during the Classical period. A prolific composer his works for classical guitar, while somewhat simplistic, are quite good for students. A number of his guitar duos have been recorded by some of the world’s best guitarists.
World’s Favorite Solos for Classic Guitar (World’s Favorite Series, No. 43)
![]() |
24 Preludes, Op. 114 Guitar Solo. By F Carulli. This edition: RER2746. Guitar Solo. 36 pages. Published by Ricordi. (50013950) See more info… |
![]() |
Haydn and Carulli: London Symphony 1st Movement Arranged for Two Guitars. By Joseph Haydn And Carulli. Edited by Simon Wynberg. Edited by Simon Wynberg by Joseph Haydn and Carulli. For Guitar (Classical). Duets. Chanterelle. Classic. Level: Intermediate. Book. 20 pages. Published by Chanterelle. (97392) See more info… |
- Carulli – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Carulli – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Carulli – music for strings – string quartets
- Carulli – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Carulli – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Carulli – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera
2/14/1778-7/10/1839 Sors, Fernando; prolific Spanish composer with a varied output; his works for classical guitar are among the finest for the instrument from the classical period. Two famous works: 20 Studies (edited by Andres Segovia) and Method for Spanish Guitar. Sor(s) is considered to be one of the finest composers of guitar music from the Classical Period.
![]() |
20 Studies for Guitar (Andres Segovia Edition) By Fernando Sor (1778-1839), edited by Andres Segovia. Etude book for guitar. 32 pages. Published by Marks Music Co. (HL.6363) See more info… |
![]() |
Fernando Sor: The Complete Studies for Guitar in Urtext By Fernando Sor, Introduction Matanya Orphee, Richard Savino. By Fernando Sor, introduction by Matanya Orphee, Richard Savino. For Guitar (Classical). Solos. Chanterelle. Classic. Level: Intermediate. Book. 192 pages. Published by Chanterelle. (97387) See more info… |
![]() |
Fernando Sor Music for Voice and Guitar. By Fernando Sor. By Fernando Sor. For Guitar (Classical). Solos. Chanterelle. Classic. Level: Intermediate. Book. 112 pages. Published by Chanterelle. (ECH497) See more info… |
- Sors – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Sors – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Sors – music for strings – string quartets
- Sors – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Sors – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Sors – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera
2/19/1743-5/28/1805 Boccherini, Luigi; Italian composer whose small chamber works are quite popular. One famous work: Guitar Quitets.
| BOCCHERINI Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D ‘Fandango’ By Luigi Boccherini. Soloist: Andrew Keeping, guitar; Ensemble: Da Vinci Quartet. For Guitar. Instrumental Solo Part and CD. Published by Music Minus One. (MMOCD3601) See more info… |
| BOCCHERINI Concerto in D major; VIVALDI Concerto No. 2 in G minor ‘La Notte’; MOZART Andante for Flute and Strings By Luigi Boccherini, Antonio Vivaldi, W.A. Mozart. Soloist: Jeffery Zook, flute; Ensemble: Stuttgart Festival Orchestra; Conductor: Emil Kahn. For Flute. Instrumental Solo Part and CD. Published by Music Minus One. (MMOCD3303) See more info… |
- Boccherini – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Boccherini – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Boccherini – music for strings – string quartets
- Boccherini – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Boccherini – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Boccherini – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera
2/20/1791-7/15/1857 Czerny, Carl; composer during the classical period – primarily known for his didatic works for piano. Two famous works by Czerny: 1) School of Velocity (piano studies/technique) and The Art of Finger Dexterity (also a didactic piano work.)
| Practical Method For Beginners, Op. 599 (Piano Technique) By Carl Czerny (1791-1857), arranged by Giuseppe Buonamici. Instructional book for solo piano. Schirmer Library Vol.146. 56 pages. Published by G. Schirmer, Inc. (HL.50253050) See more info… |
![]() |
School Of Velocity, Op. 299 – Complete By Carl Czerny (1791-1857), edited by Max Vogrich. Opus 299. Instructional book for solo piano. 101 pages. Published by G. Schirmer, Inc. (HL.50253140) See more info… |
- Czerny – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Czerny – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Czerny – music for strings – string quartets
- Czerny – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Czerny – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Czerny – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera
2/21/1893-6/02/1987 Segovia, Andres; probably the most important guitarist of the 20th century – Segovia brought the classical guitar from the small parlor to the modern concert hall. He encouraged/cajoled/inspired composers to create a number of wonderful new works for the classical guitar. He also wrote a number of didatic, idomatic pieces for the guitar. Segovia is famous for bring the classical guitar into the modern concert hall. He had a multi-decade performing and recording career and blazed many trails including: collecting and creating didactic works (scales for guitar, slur and ornament exercies/studies) for the gutiar; he also worked with many composers to create a new body of literature for the classical guitar.
![]() |
Diatonic Major and Minor Scales By Andres Segovia. Instructional book for guitar. Published by Columbia Music Company. (PR.494001950) See more info… |
![]() |
Slur Exercises and Chromatic Octaves By Andres Segovia. Instructional book for guitar. 8 pages. Published by Columbia Music Company. (PR.494001960) See more info… |
![]() |
Andres Segovia The Finest Pieces from His Repertoire. By Various. Arranged by Andres Segovia. This edition: GA520. Gitarren-Archiv (Guitar Archive). 94 pages. Published by Schott Music. (49010933) See more info… |
- Segovia – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Segovia – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Segovia – music for strings – string quartets
- Segovia – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Segovia – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Segovia – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera
2/25/1727-2/02/1789 Couperin, Armand-Louis;
![]() |
Complete Keyboard Works – Series One: Ordres I-XIII By Francois Couperin (1668-1733). Collection for keyboard. 238 pages. Published by Dover Publications. (AP.6-257959) See more info… |
![]() |
The French Harpsichordists – Volume 1 (Works of Couperin, Daquin, Rameau) Collection for harpsichord (or piano). Reprinted from Durand. 47 pages. Published by Masters Music Publications Inc.. (MT.M1758-SC) See more info… |
- Couperin – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Couperin – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Couperin – music for strings – string quartets
- Couperin – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Couperin – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Couperin – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera
2/29/1792-11/13/1868 Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio; Opera! Probably one of the best known and best love Italian opera composers! Rossini if famous for his many operas and opera arias including the well known opera The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia.)
![]() |
Arie del Melodramma Italiano per Soprano (Arias for Soprano). By Gioachino Rossini. This edition: R136511. Vocal Collection. 124 pages. Published by Ricordi. (50483184) See more info… |
![]() |
Il Barbiere di Siviglia Vocal Score. By Gioachino Rossini. (score). This edition: RCP131809/01. Vocal Score. 488 pages. Published by Ricordi. (50020300) See more info… |
![]() |
Il Barbiere di Siviglia Vocal Score. By Gioachino Rossini. Arranged by Ruth & Thomas Martin. (score). This edition: ED2495. Vocal Score. 360 pages. Published by G. Schirmer, Inc. (50338220) See more info… |
- Rossini – piano music – piano sonatas, etudes and more
- Rossini – easy piano music – arrangements of piano music for beginners as well as studies and etudes
- Rossini – music for strings – string quartets
- Rossini – music for orchestra – symphonies
- Rossini – concertos with orchestra – concertos with solo and ensemble instruments (violin, piano, cello, etc.)
- Rossini – music for voice – vocal works – art songs, Leider, arias, opera








































