Carulli Guitar Concerto Op 140 for Guitar & Orchestra

Carulli's Concerto in E minor, Op. 140, subtitled Petit Concerto de société ("Little Society Concerto"), was composed around 1820 when Carulli was the most prominent guitarist in the Parisian music scene. This edition presents the original orchestration for solo guitar with 2 Oboes, 2 Horns, and Strings, newly re-engraved from the original publication with inconsistencies corrected and a clear, practical layout across all parts.

The concerto follows the standard three-movement Classical plan: Allegro, Largo, and Allegro. The solo writing sits at intermediate to advanced guitar level, with the kind of stylistically clean writing that characterises Carulli at his best: flowing melodic lines, arpeggio figurations, and passagework that asks for clean fingerwork and good right-hand control. The orchestral parts are at intermediate level, with the oboes and horns adding authentic Classical colour rather than demanding technical difficulty. Carulli's scoring is consistently mindful of the guitar's natural volume: the accompaniment is light and transparent, giving the soloist space to project without the orchestra covering the solo line.

At thirteen minutes, this is a full-scale Classical concerto that works well as the centrepiece of a university or conservatoire concert, or as a programme item for a professional chamber orchestra. The original orchestration with winds gives it a distinct character that string-only reductions don't capture, and the clean new edition makes it practical for modern ensembles to rehearse from without working around a difficult original text.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Classical Guitar and Full Orchestra (2 Oboes, 2 Horns in G, Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: intermediate to advanced (solo guitar); intermediate (orchestral parts)
• Duration: approximately 13 minutes
• Three movements: Allegro, Largo, Allegro
• Editor: Paul Wood for MyMusicScores, based on the original edition
• Format: PDF download, full score and all individual parts

Who it's for

Suits an intermediate to advanced classical guitarist looking to perform a full concerto with orchestra, and a university, conservatoire, or chamber orchestra wanting to feature a guitar soloist in an authentic Classical work. The orchestral parts are accessible enough for a strong student ensemble.