My Fugue Study in Em, is a sneak peak into a collection of studies for guitar that I've composed called Classically Different. They are not meant for the beginner student, but they are pedagogical. They are the result of imagining what it would have been like to have the 6 string guitar a common place instrument during the 18th century. Would there have been powerhouse guitarist/composers like Sor and Giuliani of the 19th century? Would they have performed and composed like Bach Vivaldi and Weiss? Would Bach have composed a suite for it?

I originally composed this Fugue for keyboard in my counterpoint class. As I started to arrange it for guitar and learn to play it, I realized that I was running into similar problems that guitarists have experienced since Tarrega first started transcribing Bach. I coincidentally rewrote a number of sequences and entrances of the subject to make it more guitar logical. There are still leaps by a 7th sprinkled in to continue a low melody an octave higher due to the range limitations of the 6 string guitar. I wonder if perhaps this would have been a useful mechanism for the hypothetical guitarists of the 18th century, or if they would have just composed for the instruments range. It is quite apparent to me that a great deal of Baroque music arranged for guitar makes great use of this without degradation to the original line.

I use both tablature and standard notation for my scores with perhaps an overabundance of fingerings. I want to make it as easy as possible to understand the music for as many players as possible.