The Unlimited Guitar

Transcriptions and arrangements are an essential part of the classical guitar repertoire. Benjamin Britten’s first Cello Suite is a cornerstone of the solo cello repertoire and at present has not yet been arranged for the classical guitar. This study proposes through the examination of historical arrangements texts articles and methods to create adaptations of Britten’s Cello Suite Op.72 and of J.S. Bach’s Partita No.1 for Unaccompanied Violin BWV 1002 that are idiomatic to the guitar. The present study includes an overview of the arranging process gleaned from Bach’s own arrangements examination of guitar transcriptions of Bach’s unaccompanied string music among other composers and arrangers’ works and analysis of guitar audio recordings. As a result this study generates criteria that when applied inform and create effective adaptations providing a blue print for arrangers interested in adapting music for guitar. Bach’s method of adaptation the adaptation criteria derived from this study and several notable guitarists and scholars’ approach to arranging are then integrated into a guitar performance edition of the aforementioned works.