Modern classical guitar Modern classical guitar The modern classical guitar (also known as the Spanish guitar), the immediate forerunner of today's guitars, was developed in the 19th century by Antonio de Torres Jurado, Ignacio Fleta, Hermann Hauser Sr., Robert Bouchet The fingerstyle is used fervently on the modern classical guitar. The thumb traditionally plucks the bass or root note whereas the fingers ring the melody and its accompanying parts. Francisco Tárrega, Emilio Pujol, Andrés Segovia In the 20th century, many non-guitarist composers wrote for the instrument, which previously only players of the instrument had done. Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909), Roberto Gerhard (1896–1970), Heitor Villa-Lobos
Classical guitar by audiences in the USA. The classical guitar repertoire also includes modern contemporary works – sometimes termed "New Music" – such as Elliott Carter's "Changes", Cristóbal Halffter's "Codex I", Luciano Berio's "Sequenza XI", Maurizio Pisati's "Sette Studi", Maurice Ohana's "Si Le Jour Paraît", Sylvano Bussotti's "Rara (eco sierologico)", Ernst Krenek's "Suite für Guitarre allein, Op. 164", Franco Donatoni's "Algo: Due pezzi per chitarra", etc. Performers who are known for including modern repertoire include Jürgen Ruck, Elena Càsoli, Leo Brouwer (when he was still performing), John Schneider, Reinbert Evers, Maria Kämmerling, Siegfried Behrend, David Starobin, Mats Scheidegger, Magnus Andersson, etc. This