Marc I think I know what you mean about the era of YouTube and edited videos but maybe that's something that's always been true of recorded music. It's hard to identify a favorite since there are so many good guitarists, each with their own offering. When I was in college, which was a long time ago, we were limited by what was available on vinyl. Segovia, Julian Bream, and John Williams recordings were readily available. I lost interest in the classical guitar for a few decades until YouTube brought guitarists from all over the world to my attention. I remember watching a young guitarists from Belarus playing a familiar old piece, but in such a new and refreshing way that I began to find the music and the instrument exciting again. As I think about favorite musicians now, I find myself considering repertoire first. If I want to hear hear Bach lute suites played on guitar, I will choose the recording by Oscar Ghiglia, for example. For Barrios I might choose Berta Rosa. So maybe those are a couple of my favorite recordings. I love to watch the hands of players like Marcin Dylla and James Mead. It's like watching a ballet. Back to YouTube for a minute, there are guitarists, Goran Sollscher comes to mind, who make uncomplex home videos of excellent musical quality. This is the type of thing that makes YouTube so worthwhile in my opinion.

@Adam Brown Thank you for sharing this point of view, Adam. I've come to believe that the first "mechanical" phase of learning a piece is often the simplest phase where we settle on initial left and right hand choreography.

Once in a while, when I mail-order strings, I'll add a set of something new to my usual order. More often than not the new set reminds me of why I prefer my standby choices. However, this time I found a keeper! La Bella Preferita medium gauge nylon strings. I installed them over the weekend and two days later they sound lovely on my spruce / rosewood David Daily guitar.

@Blaise Laflamme it's been a while since I've used 2001 so I can't really say.

The Julliard School! I wanted to attend but back in the 1970s there was no place for a guitarist! The program started, as you likely know, with Sharon Isbin in the late 1980s. The choices were few in the US back then.

@David Norton To be clear, I have only my own curiosity to satisfy. I am not seeking the approval of a jury. Or anyone else, for that matter!

@Blaise Laflamme Here's an example. The accidental in bar 4. Schott and Chanterelle editions. I most often hear the piece played with the accidental.