Tárrega - Gran Vals (Transcribed for 3 Cellos)

Francisco Tárrega was born on November 21, 1852, in Villarreal, in the Province of Castellón, Spain. One story from his childhood tells of his father playing flamenco and other styles on the guitar; when his father was away working as a watchman at the Convent of San Pascual, young Francisco would take up the guitar himself and try to recreate the beautiful sounds he had heard. Tárrega went on to become one of the central figures of the classical guitar tradition, and his Gran Vals remains one of his most recognizable works.

This arrangement of Gran Vals is scored for three cellos. The piece later gained unexpected worldwide recognition when Nokia used an excerpt from Gran Vals in a 1992 commercial for the Nokia 1011. That excerpt included the phrase that would become the famous Nokia ringtone.

Cellos 2 and 3 are easy, while Cello 1 is slightly more advanced and reaches tenor clef a couple of times. This arrangement is well suited for student cello ensembles, studio classes, group performances, and light recital programming. It offers young cellists an accessible way to play a charming work with a fun connection to music history and popular culture.

Watch a live performance here: https://youtu.be/YAoWY04rDkk

ASTA level: 1–2