HISTORY OF GUITAR
The guitar originated in The Near East. Nomadic Arabs carried its predecessors across Northern Africa into the Iberian Peninsula, resulting in its traditional popularity in Spain and Portugal. Thirteenth century paintings depict various forms of the guitar. It was not until the 16th century, though, that guitar began to appear in Spanish classical music.
The guitar became highly popular in the 17th century. This was partly because the art of the lute was reaching artistic perfection at this time and the guitar was somewhat easier to play. Boccherini, Schubert, and other prominent composers wrote chamber music for the guitar. However, its use in classical music began to diminish until the turn of the 20th century when Francisco Tarrega and Andres Segovia initiated the revival of the classical guitar.
The use of the guitar in folk and popular music has never waned and it remains one of the most widely played instruments.