Matteo Carcassi was born in Florence, Italy in 1792. Along with Giuliani, Sor, Aguado he has contributed to the expansion of the guitar repertoire. He began studying the piano at first but also learned the guitar early in his childhood. He quickly mastered the instrument and became popular as a virtuoso concert guitarist.

In 1810, he moved to Germany where he rapidly gained fame. By 1815, he was living in Paris, earning his living as a teacher of both the piano and the guitar. On a concert tour in Germany in 1819, he met his friend Antoine Meissonnier for the first time. Also a famous guitarist, Meissonnier published many of Carcassi's works in his Paris publishing house.