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Carulli

Ferdinando Carulli (1770–1841) was an Italian composer and guitarist whose life's work helped establish the classical guitar as a serious concert instrument. Originally a cellist, he didn't take up the guitar until he was 20, but he quickly became a virtuosic performer, developing his own unique style due to a lack of local teachers in his native Naples.

After successful tours, he settled in Paris, the musical capital of the era, where he became a highly sought-after teacher and prolific composer. He wrote over 400 works for the guitar, from solo pieces and duets to concertos. His most enduring legacy is his Méthode complète pour guitare, Op. 27, a pedagogical manual that is still widely used by students today. Carulli’s passion for the instrument extended to its construction, as he collaborated with luthiers to improve its design, shaping the classical guitar into the instrument we know today.

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