Natalia by Antonio Lauro Vals Venezolano No.3, The Most Beautiful Guitar Piece from Venezuela
What Is Natalia?
Natalia, formally known as Vals Venezolano No.3, is a classical guitar piece by Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro (1917 to 1986). It is one of the most beloved and frequently performed works in the classical guitar repertoire worldwide, and one of the most significant pieces of Venezuelan classical music ever written.
Composed between 1938 and 1940 as part of Lauro’s celebrated collection 4 Valses Venezolanos (Four Venezuelan Waltzes), Natalia combines the elegant structure of the European waltz with the syncopated rhythms and melodic sensibility of Venezuelan folk music. The result is a piece that is simultaneously technically demanding for guitarists and immediately accessible to any listener, regardless of their familiarity with classical music.
Natalia is the piece that put Venezuelan classical music on the international stage. It proved that Latin American composers could create works of equal depth and sophistication to the European classical tradition while remaining rooted in their own cultural identity. Every classical guitarist who plays it is participating in a tradition that stretches from 1940s Caracas to concert halls worldwide today.
Antonio Lauro: The Man Who Gave Venezuela a Guitar Voice
Antonio Lauro was born on August 3, 1917 in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, to an Italian immigrant father who was a barber and amateur guitarist. His father died while Lauro was still a child, but not before passing on a love of music. After the family moved to Caracas, Lauro began formal study at the Academia de Musica y Declamacion, where he studied piano, composition, and theory.
The turning point came in 1932, when the young Lauro attended a concert in Caracas by Agustin Barrios, the legendary Paraguayan guitarist and composer. The experience was transformative. Lauro abandoned piano and violin in favor of the guitar, studying from 1933 with master guitarist Raul Borges (1888 to 1967), who introduced him to the classical guitar repertoire.
Lauro went on to become a central figure in Venezuelan cultural life: a composer, performer, teacher at the Escuela Superior de Musica, and member of the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. He toured extensively through Latin America, introducing Venezuelan musical traditions to international audiences. He died on April 18, 1986 in Caracas, leaving behind a body of work that remains central to the classical guitar repertoire worldwide.
“Antonio Lauro did for Venezuela what Bartok did for Hungary and Granados did for Spain. He took the music of his country and made it universal through the guitar.”
Richter Guitar Academy on Antonio Lauro’s legacyThe Inspiration: A Concert That Changed Everything
Lauro’s decision to write Venezuelan waltzes for classical guitar was sparked by attending a concert of waltzes performed by distinguished Venezuelan pianist Evencio Castellanos. Hearing the waltz form interpreted through a Latin American lens convinced Lauro that the classical guitar deserved its own repertoire of Venezuelan waltzes. He set to work composing the 4 Valses Venezolanos between 1938 and 1940, of which Natalia is the third and most celebrated.
The Story Behind Natalia
The dedication of Natalia has an interesting history. Early editions of the score carry the dedication “A mi maestro, Raul Borges” (for my teacher, Raul Borges), honoring the guitarist who shaped Lauro’s classical technique. Later editions changed the dedication to “Para mi hija, Natalia” (for my daughter, Natalia), giving the piece both its name and a more personal meaning.
This dual dedication reflects something essential about the piece itself: it exists between the formal (a technically demanding work in the classical tradition, dedicated to a master teacher) and the personal (a waltz named for a daughter, full of warmth and affection). That balance between rigor and tenderness is what makes Natalia so enduringly appealing to both performers and listeners.
Together with the other three waltzes (Tatiana, Andreina, and Maria Luisa), Natalia forms the 4 Valses Venezolanos, a cornerstone of the South American classical guitar repertoire. Of the four, Natalia is by far the most performed and recorded, appearing on countless recital programs and recordings by guitarists from every tradition and country.
What Makes Natalia Special
Natalia opens with a fast, bright melodic run that immediately captures the listener. The piece is structured in two main sections: an A section in E minor, energetic and rhythmically driven; and a B section in E major (the parallel major), warmer and more lyrical. This shift from minor to major gives the piece its characteristic emotional arc, from restless energy to moments of genuine tenderness.
What distinguishes Natalia from European waltzes is its use of syncopation and hemiola rhythms characteristic of Venezuelan folk music. These rhythmic devices create a sense of forward momentum and dance-like energy that is distinctly Latin American, even as the harmonic language and formal structure remain rooted in the European classical tradition.
Musical Structure at a Glance
The technical demands of Natalia include rapid position shifts across the guitar neck, complex fingering patterns in both hands, and the need to sustain a singing melodic line over an accompaniment in the same hand. These challenges make it a popular examination and competition piece at conservatories worldwide, while the piece’s emotional directness ensures it never sounds merely academic.
Best Performances of Natalia on YouTube
There is no official Antonio Lauro YouTube channel, as he died in 1986 before the internet era. The best way to experience Natalia is through recordings by leading classical guitarists. Here is the most celebrated performance available online: Sharon Isbin, one of the world’s foremost classical guitarists, performing Natalia with complete authority.
Can I Learn to Play Natalia?
Natalia is classified as late intermediate to early advanced in most classical guitar pedagogical systems. It is a realistic goal for a dedicated student who has been playing classical guitar seriously for three to five years. The piece is frequently taught at music conservatories and universities worldwide and appears on examination syllabi in many countries.
The main technical challenges are the rapid melodic runs in the opening, the position shifts across the neck, and the need to balance the melody and bass simultaneously in the right hand. These are all learnable skills with patient, focused practice. Many guitarists find that working on Natalia significantly improves their overall technique.
Sheet music for Natalia is widely available from publishers including Schott, Berben, and Ricordi, as well as from specialist classical guitar retailers. Multiple tutorial videos are available on YouTube for those learning the piece.
