The Classical Guitar: A Complete History

(Book). Offering essays by the world's top experts in a full-color, coffee-table quality book, this is the first work to tell the complete story of the classical guitar and its repertoire, players and makers from its 19th century European roots to modern international interpretations. This handsome softcover volume features lavish photography of classical guitars made by the best luthiers in the world. Additional essays cover use of the classical guitar in pop music, different playing and teaching techniques, the collectors' market, and the science of the guitar. It also features profiles of legendary artists such as Andres Segovia, Julian Bream and John Williams, plus a full discography, a glossary, an index, a bibliography, and a guitar measurement chart.

Tony Bacon, author of The Ultimate Guitar Book, profiles a number of guitar makers including Contreras, Smallman and Bernabe. Colin Cooper, editor of Classical Guitar magazine, writes on the future of the instrument, and provides a listener's guide to classical guitar on record. Paul Fowles, contributor to Classical Guitar magazine, profiles a number of guitar makers and looks at the classical guitar in pop music. Brian Jeffrey, founder and owner of a leading guitar music publisher and the biographer of Sor, investigates guitar methods and teaching as well as the repertoire of the classical guitarist. Richard Johnston, guitar repairer and contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine, profiles guitar makers such as Velazquez, Humphrey and Ruck. Tim Miklaucic, proprietor of leading classical guitar dealer GSI, analyses the market for collectable instruments. Bernard Richardson, Lecturer in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Wales, Cardiff, clarifies the science of the guitar. Paul Sparks, a leading early music expert, writes about the early guitar before Torres. Graham Wade, leading author and recitalist and biographer of Segovia and Rodrigo, profiles Segovia, Julian Bream and John Williams, as well as guitar makers such as Hauser, Bouchet and Ramirez. Brook Zern, flamenco editor of Guitar Review, puts the flamenco guitar and its culture into the context of classical guitar. John Morrish is an experienced journalist and editor. He is a former editor of the London listings magazine Time Out, and edited Piano, Balafon's standard illustrated history of the instrument.