Ludwig van Beethoven

Allegretto (from Symphony No. 7 op. 92)

I think it’s fair to say that Beethoven’s monumental symphonies would be considered ‘out of bounds’ when it comes to suitable material for guitar ensemble arrangement. However, the lighter scoring of Allegretto, the second movement of the composer’s Symphony no. 7, together with the guitar friendly key of A minor, make the piece very approachable. The symphony, Op. 92, was written around 1811 and premiered in 1813 with the composer conducting. When making an arrangement for guitar ensemble such as this a number of decisions have to be made. Clearly, a full symphony score will not transfer to six guitars without some compromises. What I’ve attempted to do here is to try to imagine what Beethoven might have done with the forces available. All six guitarists play an important role and the parts are never dull. The arrangement will work for six players or for any number of players in a guitar orchestra situation. I hope you enjoy playing the piece as much as I did arranging it.