If I’m doing my math correctly (and I’m really bad at math), November 21, 2019, is the 167th birthday of the great Spanish guitarist, composer, arranger, and teacher Francisco Tárrega (1852–1909)—one of the true giants of classical guitar! The occasion is a perfect excuse to indulge in some birthday cake, and also for us to post a video of a virtuoso guitarist playing one of Tárrega’s most-loved pieces, the sublime Capricho árabe, written in 1892. Check out the exquisite tone that Sharon Isbin—who plays Spanish music as well as anyone—coaxes from her instrument in this wonderful performance from 2017. —Blair Jackson
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