From Persia To Spain – The Guitar

Today, you don’t have to travel far to experience vibrant musical styles from across the globe. For many of us, it’s as simple as switching on our phones or turning on the computer. A generation earlier, it was televised concerts and CDs. Before that, we had record players and the radio.

Travel far enough back in time, and the only way to experience new musical styles was live and in person. This might have limited access for listeners, but it was a wonderful source of inspiration for musicians. With interactions between different empires and civilisations, new styles, sounds, and instruments moved across the globe, evolving and adapting at every stage of the journey. Unlike today, where we have everything at our fingertips, musicians cherished every new technique they came across. A great example of this is the blend of African, indigenous, and European influences throughout most Latin American music.

Another great example of this is the shared musical connection between the Persian and Spanish guitar styles. In today’s video, guitarist Fernando Perez goes over this in more detail, providing numerous examples to show how the Spanish guitar influenced music in Persia and throughout the Middle East (and vice versa).

Ready to explore a new world of music? There’s no plane ticket required to start this journey – check out the video to learn more.