Album: Custodio Castelo, The Art of the Portuguese Guitar (EUCD 2315)

The Portugese guitar is a 12-string lute with a long fretted neck ending in a fan-shaped tuning head, descended from the 16th-century English cittern and the Spanish bandura.

It has a pear-shaped body, a rounded back, and looks as magical as it sounds. Custodio Castelo fell in love with it as a teenager, and has dedicated himself to developing its potential as a chamber instrument. Here he shows it off against the background of accordion, Spanish guitar, and bass guitar.