It is with great pleasure that I review this new release by Daniel Bolshoy (artist website) who recently moved to Vancouver to head up the VSO School. I was glad that he sent it to me because I was never very familiar with Eduardo Sainz de la Maza. Daniel Bolshoy is quickly becoming one of Canada’s most active guitarists so check this album out.

Daniel Bolshoy
Eduardo Sainz de la Maza (1903-1982)
SOÑANDO CAMINOS
ŒUVRES POUR GUITARE | GUITAR WORKS

TRACKS:

Confidencia-preludio
Evocación Criolla
Homenaje a la guitarra

PLATERO Y YO SUITE
Platero, El Loco, La Azotea, Darbón, Paseo, La Tortuga, La Muerte, A Platero en su tierra, Soñando Caminos, Campanas del, Alba, Homenaje a Toulouse-Lautrec, Bolero, Habanera

CANCIONES POPULARES
La Paloma (Yradier)
Colorado Trail
Swanee River

Listen to samples and/or buy the album: Samples, CD, MP3

Repertoire:

The works of Spanish composer Eduardo Sainz de la Maza (1903-1982) are often overlooked but, as Bolshoy points out in his programme notes, the composer “felt that his music filled a void in the repertoire of the instrument, which he considered to be too dependent on arrangements and too short on original works.”  Many will know the name of the composer’s brother Regino, a virtuoso guitarist himself, who taught at the Madrid Conservatory, was the music critic for the Spanish newspaper ABC, and toured the world. At the heart of Spanish musical culture of the time he was ”the dedicatee of many masterpieces such as Antonio José’s Sonata and Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.”

The music is best described as beautiful which might sound cliché but actually well describes this melodic but also impressionistic influenced music. As the composer points out, there is a lack of music in this style outside of arrangements.

Eduardo Sainz de la Maza, drawn by Francisco Sainz de la Maza

Musical Performance:
I’ve heard other recordings of Daniel Bolshoy before which are strong and filled with excellent varied repertoire selections but this recording is different. Here Bolshoy has immersed himself in the works of one composer and style and the care and musical maturity of his playing reflects this. I found myself quite touched by the musicality of Bolshoy’s performance and intimate sound of the recording. In particular, Bolshoy’s rubato and patience at sustained expressive notes really pulled me into the sound world of the composer and the instrument. This is a difficult thing to do on an instrument that, in general, has a low level of sustain and is hard to mic. But, Bolshoy really takes his time with the phrasing and the forms of the pieces often sound like a real journey, the result is very touching. Some of the phrases come off as possibly being improvised despite the obvious notated nature of the music. Bravo!

Highlights:
Platero y yo: II. El Loco, not to be confused by Tedesco’s similar composition, is one of the sustained and expressive movements that I thought really highlight Bolshoy’s expression and mature musicality.

Platero y yo: IV. Darbon, here the contrasts between the ominous dark bass intro and the contrasting colour of the rolled chords was a special point in the recording. This is followed by a lively dance that really showcases his versatility.

The folk song and foster arrangements are very pretty works that need to get more exposure and were another treat!

Conclusion:
This is one of finest and fully dedicated recordings of Eduardo Sainz de la Maza’s music out there and definitely an album you’ll want in your collection of post-romantic/early twentieth century era music for classical guitar. After listening to the album over the past two days I’ve started to feel a bit ashamed that I’ve ignored the composer over the years and sincerely thank Daniel Bolshoy for bringing his music alive. Highly recommended for classical and even jazz listeners!

One of Canada’s finest musicians, Daniel Bolshoy gives listeners an album of utter beauty and sensible musicality!

Listen to samples and/or buy the album: Samples, CD, MP3

Also check out some recent features on Bolshoy here on the site:

• Interview with Daniel Bolshoy
• Daniel Bolshoy Interviews Murray Visscher at Guitarfestwest 2011
• Concert Review: Daniel Bolshoy at Leacock Theatre, Mount Royal University

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

This is a combined Spotlight and New Release post.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Alexander Dunn for the past ten years, four of which I had the opportunity to study under him at the Victoria Conservatory. For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Dunn, he is head of guitar at the  University of Victoria and the Victoria Conservatory of Music, as well as the President and Artistic Director of the Victoria Guitar Society.

Dr. Dunn constantly produces the highest quality guitar concerts and activities as well as seeking out cutting edge new music repertoire. He is an excellent teacher and backs up his extensive knowledge with virtuoso performances. He also specializes in 19th century performance practice on period instruments, as featured here. Take a listen to this well researched and performed recording.

Please read Dr. Dunn’s biography at the bottom of this post. 

Artist Website: www.alexanderdunn.ca

Evenings in Vienna – Beethoven Serenades Op. 8 & 25 and Bagatelles Op. 126 # 5 & 1 – Alexander Dunn, guitar, Ann Elliott-Goldschmid, violin, Lanny Pollet, flute, Joanna Hood, viola. A reworking of Matiegka’s period arrangements of Op. 8 and 25 (lost, reconstructed by Dunn).

Notes by Alexander Dunn

At the turn of the 19th century, Vienna became a welcoming host of a growing phenomenon of virtuoso guitarists and composers such as Wenzel Matiekga, Vincent Schuster, Anton Diabelli, Mauro Giuliani, and others. All took part in Vienna’s mainstream musical activity, raising the level of guitar performance and composition to new heights. Concerts in the Imperial City took place in salons, public gardens, and concert halls, attended by all classes of society. All were fascinated by what was then a significant rise in guitar performance and virtuosity. Ludwig van Beethoven never composed directly for guitar; as a young man he had written for mandolin accompanied by fortepiano, but its similarity in tuning to the violin did not pose any challenges in learning a new instrument. While the guitar enjoyed a tremendous upsurge in popularity, Beethoven probably never appreciated it due to his encroaching deafness.

As Beethoven moved in the highest Viennese aristocratic and musical circles, he had occasional business or personal dealings with prominent Viennese guitarists. Beethoven worked with (or perhaps against is more likely) the composer/publisher Anton Diabelli, who came to Vienna in 1803. A job as a music proofreader sparked his interest in music publishing and supplanted his earnings as a teacher of piano and guitar. He went into partnership in 1816 to establish the successful firm of Cappi & Diabelli. Beethoven’s songs proved a fertile ground for guitar versions by Diabelli and other publishers. Diabelli was also responsible for publishing duo guitar arrangements of selections from Beethoven’s Op. 20 Septett and Op. 59 #3 string quartet as arranged by Vicente Schuster, around 1820. He also personally arranged and published the theme from Beethoven’s Op. 34 Sechs Variationen for piano as a work for voice and guitar, and an aria from Fidelio in a version for flute or violin and guitar, as well as a potpourri of Beethoven’s works for flute or violin and guitar. Diabelli’s excellent version of Beethoven’s extended song Adelaide Op. 46 is markedly different from an earlier version by Wenzel Matiegka, and was likely considered more difficult by the amateur guitar market. Beethoven himself was angered by publishers who issued his works without approval.

Beethoven must have had some contact with Wenzel Thomas Matiegka (1773-1830), who settled in Vienna in 1800 and established a studio teaching both guitar and piano – Matiegka was also known to Franz Schubert. Matiegka was a respected composer and taught Raphael Georg Keisewetter who was associated with Beethoven in 1796, during a trip to Prague. In his own autobiography, Keisewetter portrays himself as a capable singer and guitarist. Count Kinsky, one of Beethoven’s major patrons, employed Matiegka as a legal accountant. Wenzel Matiegka arranged both Serenades Op. 8 (published by Artaria in 1807) and Op. 25 (lost but presumably from the same period), and the song Adelaide Op. 46 (composed earlier, but published in a guitar version by Cappi & Diabelli in 1819). Matiegka’s handling of the guitar in Adelaide and the Serenade Op. 8 shows a desire, or perhaps need, to create guitar parts that were not too difficult for the medium-level player of the day. I have revisited Op. 8 Serenade in an attempt to bring it closer to the original medium and increase its sonority. As the Op. 25 Serenade arrangement is lost, I have rendered a new version based on the 1816 Hoffmeister version for flute and fortepiano (which Beethoven grudgingly improved). While these revisitations are done in the spirit of Matiegka, they are considerably more difficult and closer to Beethoven’s originals than Matiegka’s designation of ‘la parte de la chitarra e molto facile’. The arrangements of Bagatelles Op. 126, Nos. 5 and 1, are by flutist Lanny Pollet.

Alexander Dunn  - Biography

from www.alexanderdunn.ca
Canadian classical guitarist Alexander Dunn has performed to enthusiastic acclaim in Canada, the USA, Cuba, New Zealand, Mexico, Brasil, Southeast Asia, China, South Africa, western and eastern Europe, and Russia. In solo recital, concerto, and chamber music he is consistently praised for his musicality, technique and rich sound. An experienced chamber musician, he has worked with principal players from the Pacific Baroque Orchestra (Vancouver), Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik (Toronto), in duo concerts with guitarists Pepe Romero, and with numerous other musicians and vocalists. He has been a featured soloist with the CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, La Jolla Symphony, Malaga Sinfonico, New England Symphony, and many major US orchestras as a guest artist with Los Romeros.

Feature recitals at major music festivals include the Aspen Music Festival, Darmstadt’s Ferienkurs für Neue Musik (in the premiere of Paul Koonce’s Spin-Curve Foci, dedicated to him), Salzburg’s Sommerakademie der Hochschule Mozarteum, Vancouver New Music (in the premiere of Noche de Ronda, a Canada Council commission written for him), International Guitar and Lute Institute, Appalachian Guitar Festival, Stetson International Guitar Workshop, Northeastern Guitar Festival, Guitar Foundation of America International Conference, Northwest Guitar Festival, the Paracho Festival de Guitarra, the Vancouver Festival, Guitare Montréal, Early Music Society of the Islands, CBC Festival de Printemps, Zihuatenejo International Guitar Festival, Tulipanes Film Festival, and others.
Regarded as one of the finest performers on period guitars, he has collaborated with fortepianist Michael Jarvis, baroque violinists Paul Luchkow, Marc Destrube, soprano Anne Grimm, and others. A contemporary music enthusiast, Dunn has played many new works for solo guitar, ensemble, and projects including projections, dance, narration, and electronics. His premiered his arrangement Ligeti’s Guitar Sonata at the Guitar Foundation of America Festival, and the Canadian premiere of Reich’s Nagoya Guitars (with guitarist David Tanenbaum). His recordings include Beethoven’s Op. 8 and 25 Serenades with members of the Lafayette Quartet and The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by composer David Jaffe.

Dr. Dunn holds a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of California, San Diego, where he was a protégé of Pepe Romero. His ground-breaking dissertation, “Robert de Visée’s Theorbo Works: An Introductory Study” is highly regarded, as is his research into nineteenth century performance practice. Dr. Dunn’s extensive summer studies included nine years at the Aspen Music Festival under Oscar Ghiglia and four summers at the Salzburg Mozarteum. He is a popular adjudicator and competition judge.

Dr. Dunn is on the Board of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music Toronto, and currently heads what is considered one of Canada’s top guitar programs at the University of Victoria and the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

Just a quick note that I am moving away from reviewing recordings and more into just promoting Canadian content. This recording was sent to me recently and is the first of many new Canadian album finds that I’ll be posting. – Brad

Ben Schenstead – Spirit of the Guitar: From Latin America to Europe

Artist Website: www.benschenstead.com

Listen to samples: www.benschenstead.com/samples1.htm

Buy the Album: www.benschenstead.com/merchandise.htm

On the album:

A unique album of Latin American solo guitar pieces, plus Baroque pieces with the Prairie Virtuosi Orchestra. Composers include: Ponce, Lauro, Pernambuco, Barrios, Piazzolla, Maza, Reis, Dyens, and Kohaut.

From Ben Schenstead’s Bio:

Ben Schenstead is a Saskatoon-based classical guitarist and music educator.

Schenstead’s first CD Sunburst, released in 1999, garnered him a nomination for a Prairie Music Award. The Winnipeg Free Press described the album as “very impressive… eclectic …Schenstead is a technically whistle-clean, tasteful artist…well-sprung rhythms and solid lyrical sensibility…”

Ben’s second CD, Spirit of the Guitar: From Latin-America to Europe, was released in 2010. Half of the album is devoted to solo guitar pieces mainly from Latin America; the other half showcases Ben’s guitar playing with the Saskatoon-based Prairie Virtuosi Orchestra, which specializes in Baroque music. Among the pieces are a rarely-recorded concerto by Karl Kohaut and Schenstead’s arrangement of the famous Adagio by Albinoni.

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

I went out and bought the entire collection of the new Bridges Guitar Series by the RCM. The price was very moderate making the series an excellent choice for the average student.

Buy the books by following the links to Sheet Music Plus (Canada/USA/International).

Overall Conclusion: The books look better in notation and design and have been cleaned up as far as cluttered fingering goes. The Series is more accessible and has finally included great repertoire such as Brouwer, Villa-lobos, Ponce, Barrios, and more. I have never used the RCM books heavily in my studio but the new series definitely encourages me to use them more, especially for students Grade 6-8 students. I’m even adjusting my new method books to feed into RCM so that I can seamlessly transfer the students to over.

A much improved revision and a joy to see the series moving forward and including some classic repertoire as well as a few new gems.

Here’s a review of each book:

Bridges: Guitar Technique: A cleaner and slightly easier technique book this time. They got rid of the three finger scales which is probably a good thing for most teachers and students looking to focus on foundation skills. The tempos are also more relaxed making the exams much more accessible.  However, I don’t love the fingering in many of the scales and particularly hate those 4th finger descending shifts in some of the scales – it is a weak technical concept of fingering for students even if it is good for them on some level. I just don’t see the connection between scales and repertoire as far as their fingering goes. It is not until grade 8 that they say students can use any logical left-hand fingering and leave the fingering blank – this is a great move forward and emphasizes the importance of having a good teacher. Overall, I approve of the changes and will be more likely to use the new technique book with students.

Bridges: Preparatory Guitar Repertoire and Studies: Larger notation and less cluttered. There are a number of new additions such as composers Ogawa, Kiselev, McFadden, and Rak making it a bit more modern. Improved and more accessible. Likely more successful for students which is so important at this level.

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 1: Larger notation, and much less cluttered than the last edition. Again a few new works and the usual Carulli dances etc… I like that they put in new works such as Fleur de Lotus by Carbajo, even if you don’t like the compositions they work very well on the instrument and I think it’s very important to have materials that will be successful with students. McFadden and Domeniconi are in there too. I don’t love the McFadden works but my students always like them and that is what counts the most… so he’s done a good job!

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 2: The same as the previous book for the most part. Cleaner and more sparse in fingering which will make it easier to teach from…I used to have to scratch out so much when adding my own fingering concepts. It’s an improvement for the most part.

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 3: Pretty much the same except for the additions of Blum, Jackman, McFadden, Tisserand and more… The new works will be popular for their high amount of activity and excellent effort-to-success ratio. The Blum is kind of boring but students will eat them up for how brilliant they sound (arpeggio land!). The Rumba by Tisserand is welcomed as I hate always having to find that one rumba or flamenco piece while teaching and then photocopying because I won’t make my students buy 20 different books…good call RCM…

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 4: I was really hoping that I would have seen some Brouwer, Barrios, or Pujol by this grade but they saved it for the later grades. When I look at the repertoire in RCM piano books the guitar composers have a hard time competing. And we wonder why so few youth are drawn to classical guitar! However, it’s getting better and the works by Domeniconi, Gagnon, Zenamon, Kleynjans help. The Renaissance section of this book is where the real quality sits but I am unsatisfied by the Classical/Romantic repertoire. I would have liked to see Mertz in there and I can’t see why he was left out. Is it just I who thinks Mertz is plainly higher quality than much of the other Romantic fare?

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 5: Notation is no longer big and chunky which is appropriate for more mature students at this point. The fingering is highly, highly reduced which is just wonderful, thank you!!! Again no Mertz, Brouwer, or Barrios but there are some nice selections from Giuliani, Sor, Coste which are getting to be more interesting compositions to some extent. Carcassi is welcomed in the studies and the Renaissance section is again strong. I like the inclusion of Benedict, Maximo Pujol, Kleynjans, Katz, Yukich, Bosch and more…this is better but the next grade is the big qulaity jump…

I personally recommend the following grades (two thumbs up):

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 6: I am so happy for students and teachers that buy this one. Finally we have Bach, Weiss, Milan, Mertz, Ponce, Barrios, Brouwer, and Villa-lobos! These are the composers that will keep students interested in the guitar and congrats to the RCM for finally getting rights to include them! I will definitely use this book with all my students at this level and proudly give it my full recommendation.

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 7: As with grade six we have Bach, Weiss, Milan, Mertz, Ponce, Barrios, Brouwer, and Villa-lobos…but also some Walton, Brindle, Hand, Gagnon, Sanz, Milano, even some Bonfa! Seems the notation gets cleaner as we go up as well. Another thumbs up for this one.

Bridges: Guitar Repertoire and Studies 8: As with the other books you just can’t have “all-inclusive” repertoire collections without the great composers and they again included some great selections here. Nice to see the Tiento Antiguo by Rodrigo in there too. Bravo!

That is pretty much all I have to say, the syllabus for the upper grades past gr. 8 have been made a bit easier and more accessible which is a good thing. I would like my students to definitely play grade 10 exams without too much strain and I think the new syllabus will allow that…

Overall, congratulations to the RCM for a much improved series!

Here’s what the cover looks like (colours change for different grades):

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

ChromaDuo: Tracy Anne Smith and Rob MacDonald

Hidden Waters:

The Raw and the Cooked (Le Cru et le Cuit) – Stephen Goss
Still the Sea – Stephen Goss
Adagio and Fugue – Christopher William Pierce
Three Pieces for Two Guitars – Christopher William Pierce
Niterói – Roland Dyens
Comme des grands – Roland Dyens

Buy the Album: tracyannesmith.com/discography

Listen to samples: www.myspace.com/chromaduo/music

Artist Website: www.tracyannesmith.com/ChromaDuo.html

Other Reviews: Rob MacDonald – Images

This is the last “review” I’ll be making for the site. From now on I’ll simply be promoting Canadian content and new releases. Luckily, this is a spectacular recording and I’m very proud to give it two thumbs up!

This album by ChromaDuo is great for three reasons: it premieres a number of works by great composers writing for ChromaDuo; it has solid and exciting guitar work; it has good recording quality which was recorded, edited, and mastered by Norbert Kraft. Those three elements make it an exciting release and highly interesting to guitar enthusiasts, students, professionals, and the average listener.

The work by Stephen Goss is a joy. I recently played his quartet Under Milk Wood Variations and the audience and performers loved the work. The duo presented here by Tracy Anne Smith and Rob MacDonald is perfect for modern audiences. The work is made of nine miniatures that reference various other music and styles, for example, Hot is in the style of Django Reinhardt, The Raw of Allen Holdsworth, Tango Brawl of Piazzolla. This work is likely my favorite from the album just for it’s sheer fun and beautiful colours and variety in textures. The duo plays it effortlessly but still pushes forward hard enough so we can hear some risk taking. There’s also some beautifully lyrical playing on Alba and highly interactive ensemble work on The Hotel Kempinksi. Bravo!

The other Goss work, Still the Sea, was written for ChromaDuo and is a homage to Toru Takemitsu. The work is filled with many transparent textures, a variety of colours, and moods ranging from tranquil to jazzy avant-garde – not the usual classical guitar fair. Goss may be considered new music but he is always very listenable and easy to take in by any listener. It is tradition music in it’s presentation but blends many modern styles and influences successfully. The ensemble handles the variety of textures and moods in good style with some very communicative moments.

The works by Christopher William Pierce are first inspired by Bach and Debussy and then by Ligeti. As I’ve said before, I really think that Pierce is making serious contributions to the classical guitar repertoire and should not be ignored. That’s all I really have to say because the music is very high quality and the ensemble again handles it with ease.

The Roland Dyens work Niteroi is another one written for ChromaDuo. We all know and love Dyens, here he has composed a work filled with great writing for the instrument, that is, filled with a fullness of colour and texture that only a top level player-composer would be able to write. Much like his other works, Niteroi has beautiful melodies embedded within washed-out harmonies and with a splash of hot jazz here and there. The ensemble shines as they produce very cool textures and play just about every conceivable colouristic trick in the book making for a very interesting listen.

Conclusion:
Rob MacDonald has been producing some amazing work these days and with duo partner Tracy Anne Smith ChromaDuo has made a wonderful album. If I had to sum up this album with one quote it would be this:

ChromaDuo has recorded an exciting and beautiful album filled with new works written by some of the top composers in the guitar scene. The amazing guitar work combined with outstanding repertoire will make this recording a favorite in anyone’s collection. Bravo!

- Bradford Werner, Classical Guitar Canada

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

Buy the album:

Amazon mp3 or CD

iTunes mp3

Sound Samples and Artist Website:
thomasechols.com

In an effort to expand the fan base of Classical Guitar Canada, I will be doing a limited amount of write-ups for non-Canadians. In order to keep the site Canadian-based I will only be reviewing my favorite American guitarists or ones who I find interesting for the viewership of the site.

There is really only two things I need to say about this release by Thomas Echols: it’s great repertoire and a great player. The album is a mix of spectacular repertoire written for guitar and some very nice arrangements of music by composers we all revere. Here’s the track list so you can see what I mean:

• La Puerta del Vino (1920) Claude Debussy (arranged by Thomas Echols)
• Sonata, Op. 61 (1931) Joaquin Turina
• Homenaje pour le Tombeau de Claude Debussy (1920) Manuel de Falla
• In The Woods (1995) Toru Takemitsu
• Plainte Calme (1964) Olivier Messiaen
• Changes (1983) Elliott Carter

Echols’ strength lies in his clarity and control of technique but also of his maturity of phrasing and gestures. Whether he is smoothing out a line by Turina or expressing a musical gesture by Carter, everything is always very musically clear. This is no small feat for an album with both demanding and expressive music.

The Debussy really highlights another talent of Echols, his control over tempo and colour. The balance between the hypnotic bass line and the smooth upper lines is excellent. The arrangement is by Echols himself and works well, the cross-string lines in the upper voice is very similar to having a bit of pedal down. The sparse, yet intense, mood of the work makes it ideal under Echols very mature pacing.

The Turina, we all know this one. What I liked here was sound of the recording and, once again, the clarity of his musical ideas. This is the best recording of the work in my collection at the moment in regards to having a modern recording and musician who realizes the composer’s intention without the fluff of some other people’s interpretation of Spanish music. The same goes for the Manuel de Falla.

When I first heard the Takemitsu I suddenly realized that I was listening to someone particularly special. In general, I usually don’t love hearing modern works on recordings as the gestures seem to make more sense to me in a live performance. However, maybe it is the way we record the music that is the important factor. Also, it possible that players should record differently then they perform. Either way, the Echols recording of In The Woods really made me listen carefully to the music, not just the guitar. Something about the way the harmonics blend in with the texture at the beginning really caught me. Echols has a great deal of control over all the sounds he makes which is well suited to this very carefully composed work. Harmonics on the last movement are very well recorded…I’ll have to pick his brain about the specifics of his recording job as it is excellent. The album was recored by Michael Crow.

Messiaen on the guitar! Has this ever been done before?  This is another arrangement by Echols himself. For those of you who know the work well I think you’ll find it even more express than on the piano. Again, Echols control and clarity make the arrangement work. I would certainly not want to hear this by someone who over-coloured the lines or messed with the serene quality of the work.

Carter: I know this fairly well as I’ve seen it performed a ton of times and I was once roommates with guitarist Adrian Verdejo who played Carter a great deal for the few years we lived together. Echols does a really fine job of the challenging work. He is a player who obviously has a high understanding of the music and composer. The work can often suffer from too much strictness or over-intellectualization or the opposite where the rhythmic structure is too loose. Echols owns this work, very nicely done. Go take a listen to it at: thomasechols.com.

Conclusion:

I don’t know Echols presonally so if you this is too positive a review all I can say is: go take a listen to the recording. As I said before, I’m only doing write-ups on a selected few non-Canadians but I’m very glad I did this one. In short, Thomas Echols is one of the finest musicians I’ve heard and has a beautiful musicality and clarity to his playing. I strongly recommend this recording to any student or professional because we could all learn a great deal about interpretation on the guitar from Echols. Compare his arragements to recordings of pianists and you see what I mean. Keeping the music itself intact regardless of what instrument you play is what guitarists often have trouble with. Echols is easily in my top ten list of guitarist!

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

What’s this? An American guitarist? In an effort to expand the fan base of Classical Guitar Canada, I will be doing a limited amount of reviews for our southern friends. In order to keep the site Canadian-based I will only be reviewing my favorite American guitarists or ones who frequently visit our humble land.

Who better to start with then the excellent and versatile guitarist/composer Michael Nicolella. Michael lives in Seattle, Washington, just a quick ferry ride from Victoria, BC and therefore I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him perform on multiple occasions. He’s a guitarist that is comfortable switching from classical to electric instruments and mixes a variety of composers and genres to create a truly modern and exciting experience.

Michael Nicolella – Ten Years Past

Label: Gale Recordings
Released: November 30, 2010

Performer’s Website: www.nicolella.com

Buy the CD or MP3: Ten Years Past
Sound samples available at the link above (amazon).

Product description from amazon.com:

Michael Nicolella’s new album of contemporary works for classical and electric guitar. This eclectic recording includes music by Hans Werner Henze, Jacob ter Veldhuis, Robert Beaser, Laurence Crane, Octavio Vazquez, Frank Wallace, Lennon/McCartney and Michael Nicolella. The album features guest performances by the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, on the title track for electric guitar and orchestra written by Nicolella and violinist Irene Mitri on Robert Beaser’s setting of Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant. Other highlights include Jacob ter Veldhuis’s ground breaking, genre bending piece Garden of Love for electric guitar and boombox; Nicolella’s solo electric guitar take on Toru Takemitsu’s arrangement of the Beatles’ Yesterday, as well as Hans Werner Henze’s 2oth century masterwork for classical guitar – Drei Tentos,. Ten Years Passed is the stylistic follow-up to Nicolella’s critically acclaimed releases Shard and Push.

This album is exciting, that much is obvious. From ground breaking works composed for electric guitar with orchestra to clear and concise classical guitar music by Hans Werner Henze there is something for everyone here. The sound quality is excellent and Nicolella’s tone ranges from clear bell-like tones to a full rich sound that could be mistaken for a grand piano.

The opening track, Prelude, writing by Nicolella himself reminds me of a mix of Ravel, Prokofiev, and Brouwer. As a composer Michael Nicolella has continued to produce quality works for classical guitar and electric and when viewed as a whole represents a real quality contribution to the instrument. It also seems to fit with the experience of the album which, although extremely eclectic, seems unified by the performer himself. That is one of my favorite aspects of Nicolella, he takes an active role, not just as performer, but as composer, interpreter, and guide to the eclectic world we live in.

The track Ten Years Past with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra is a welcomed addition to the album. Electric guitar is so well suited to playing with orchestras and the available colors, dynamics, and textures make the recording much more engaging.  I thoroughly enjoyed the repetitive textures and curious orchestration of the opening which is followed by Stravinskyian rhythms and interruptive ”thrashing” by the guitar.

The Garden of Love by Jacob ter Veldhuis is another electric work that  with catch the ears off guard as Ten Years Past might. It’s infectious music, highly interactive with the tape part. The piece will be loved by some and frowned upon by others but it is nevertheless a very interesting synthesis of ideas and technologies. It’s well worth a listen.

Drei Tento’s is one of my favorite classical guitar works and this recording is very likely the best I’ve heard the work performed. These difficult little episodes are written in a style that is extremely concise and clear which is tricky for the guitar but Nicolella pulls it off. Henze is one of the few “giant” composers of our time who have written for the guitar and his writing is not compromised by the instrument. Listen to his operas and chamber music and you’ll hear the writing here is just as high quality. Henze expresses as much as other composers but in half the time. Know this work folks.

Conclusion:

There are other gems on the album not mentioned here such as Robert Beaser, Laurence Crane, Octavio Vazquez, Frank Wallace, Lennon/McCartney (arr, Takemitsu). All the material is high quality and the guitar work is brilliant, interesting, and original – something I’ve come to rely on from Nicolella.  It’s hard to describe the album as the compositions are eclectic and the instrumentation diverse. However, I can only say this: Ten Years Past is an experience that only Michael Nicolella can provide.

I’ve been playing this album for my students – both young and older –  to show them that classical music is not all Mozart but that, as modern guitarists, there is a great deal of variety in art music today. Nicolella shows breaks the boundaries and needs to be acknowledged for it. Bravo!

Purchase the CD or MP3:Michael Nicolella’s Ten Years Passed

A little YouTube treat for you:

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

The Golden Century
by Alan Rinehart

Artist Website: www.alanrinehart.com

Programme notes: Click Here (PDF)

Buy the album:
Download an mp3 version of The Golden Century
Buy the CD of The Golden Century

Sample Clips (file located at www.alanrinehart.com/cds.htm):

• Recercar by Francesco Spinacino (1507)
• Piva by Joanambosio Dalza (1508)
• Fantasia by Simone Molinaro (1599)

To listen to samples of all the tracks visit the mp3 Amazon page: Click Here

About Classical Guitar Canada Reviews: The focus is not on the reviewing process so much as promoting Canadian artists. Classical Guitar Canada is about showing the world that Canada has a thriving and active guitar and music scene. Support Canadian artists by sharing this link and getting other people connected to the site. -Bradford

I had the joy of meeting Alan Rinehart two years back at the Northwest Guitar Festival in my hometown, Nelson, B.C. Alan put on a great little festival that was very successful and well organized. Those who have met Alan will agree he is great contact and a wonderful contribution to the Canadian guitar scene.

Mr. Rinehart’s new recording “The Golden Century” is comprised of selections from Italian lute music of the 16th century. Composers include: Francesco Spinacino, Joanambrosio Dalza, Vincenzo Capirola, Francesco Canova da Milano, Pietro Paulo Borrono, Alberto da Ripa, Vincenzo Galilei, Giulio Cesare Barbetta, Giovanni Antonio Terzi, Simone Molinaro.

The recording has some spectacular repertoire including one of my favorite composers Francesco da Milano. Some of my highlights of this recording are the Piva by Joanambrosio Dalza which displays a very spirited but natural feeling dance nicely handled by Rinehart. Also a personal favorite is the Fantasia 33 (Ness) by da Milano.

Some unexpected repertoire that I haven’t heard before were the works by Pietro Paulo Borrono which I’ll have to track down as they are excellent. The wealth of repertoire from this time period, really the golden age for plucked instruments, never ceases to amaze me in it variety and sheer quantity. Congrats to Mr. Rinehart for recording it. Much of the material has been recorded on obscure lute recordings but has been very neglected by guitarists.

Another gem was the Alberto da Ripa (c. 1500–1551) fantasia. I didn’t know much about him but there was a wiki on him stating ”the court of Francis I. held him in great esteem , as his annual salary was double that of any other lutenist, and he also frequently received gifts of land, money, wine, etc., and various other benefits.”  Those were the days folks!

Conclusion:

Alan Rinehart has produced an album filled with well-known masterpieces and a few unknown gems as well. His musicality is mature and he always sounds comfortable and natural making the album a joy to listen to. The performance of lute music is always filled with choices, particularly in regards to tone and attack. Mr. Rinehart’s sound is round and sweet but also plucky enough at times to give the music a clarity that is important to maintaining the counterpoint.

• Original Release Date: September 9, 2010
• Label: NovaScribe Editions
• Copyright: 2010 Alan Rinehart
• Total Length: 1:08:31

Buy the album:
Download an mp3 version of The Golden Century
Buy the CD of The Golden Century

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

The Early Romantic Guitar
(2010, Titania)
Murray Visscher, 19th Century Guitar

Artist Website: www.murrayvisscher.com

Tracks:
Francois de Fossa (Op. 12, Cinquième Fantasie sur l’air des Folies d’Espagne)
Mauro Giuliani (Op. 33, 12 Ecossoises) & (Op. 102, Introduction et Variation )
Ferdinando Carulli (Op. 241, Selections)
Fernando Sor (Op. 12, Quatrième Fantasie)

From murrayvisscher.com/recordings.html

This recording features the music of Ferdinando Carulli, Francois de Fossa, Mauro Giuliani and Fernando Sor. All selections are played on an instrument built by luthier Marcus Dominelli, based on measurements from a 19th century guitar built by famed French luthier Rene Lacote, c.1830. The recording was recorded, mixed and edited by Ralph Maier in the Joyce and Quentin Doolittle Recital Hall, University of Calgary.

Buy the CD or MP3′s from CD Baby:

Listen to Sound Clips:
Murray Visscher on CD Baby

It is with great pleasure that I’m reviewing this new release by Murray Visscher. When I first came to Victoria in 2000 I had little to no professional training in classical guitar and Murray was the teacher that showed me much of my foundational skills on classical guitar. I’ve also had the pleasure of performing with Murray in recent years in ensemble projects and hearing him perform in the well known Oberon Guitar Trio.

Mr. Visscher is not the only Canadian featured on this release, also note the instrument used which was built by Victoria, B.C. luthier Marcus Dominelli, based on measurements from a 19th century guitar built by famed French luthier Rene Lacote, c.1830. Also see my Spotlight on Dominelli Guitars

Francois de Fossa (Op. 12, Cinquième Fantasie sur l’air des Folies d’Espagne)
When you hear de Fossa on a 19th Century guitar it all makes sense suddenly. All the things we struggle with on modern guitar fade away in the more docile tones of this Locote replica. The recording itself is very warm and the mic placement sounds great despite some authentic string squeak here and there. This is a set of beautiful variations on Folies d’Espagne that far surpasses the other versions that I’m familiar with such as the Giuliani. Mr. Visscher shows a mature style as he tastefully navigates the various tempi and textures.

Mauro Giuliani (Op. 33, 12 Ecossoises)
Ok, so we’ve all heard these before to some extent but have you actually heard a professional play them on a period instrument? I imagine not. So here’s your chance to listen to some charming short works that you yourself might be playing. Again, these pieces sound so much better on a period instrument…enough said!

Mauro Giuliani (Op. 102, Introduction et Variation)
After warming you up with the Ecossoises he ventures into a major work showcasing a broader taste of Guiliani and Mr. Visscher’s musical skills. His strength on this track is the individual attention he gives to each note. There’s many types of virtuosity out there but one of the more difficult types is making sure each note is given the attention it deserves. Around 5min in there is a great moment where the melody is very isolated and guitar accompaniment interjects. This usually wouldn’t be too interesting but I found myself quite drawn in.

Ferdinando Carulli (Op. 241, Selections)
As with the Giuliani, these are charming works that delight the ears. Simple but familiar in style and so well suited to the period instrument. These works are even more familiar to students of the guitar and even those struggling through the RCM books. I sometimes forget just how well these can be performed and recordings like this one remind me that these are great period works that can be reexamined again and again despite their lack of compositional complexity. I particularly liked No. 21 Waltze for the articulation and the careful separation of the voices.

Fernando Sor (Op. 12, Quatrième Fantasie)
Classic Sor material with beautiful and simple chord progressions, Mozartean suspensions, and crisp classical rhythms. There are some nice variations in there including a very sweet minor variation that was well handled.

Conclusion:

A charming recording filled with familiar works and rarely recorded gems. Murray Visscher’s playing is a joy to listen to and the instrument by Marcus Dominelli shines with dolce tones. I would recommend this recording to students as Mr. Visscher will give you many new ideas to consider. Teachers and professional will find this worth a listen to realize that these pieces can be filled with character and charm. Any guitar enthusiast will love it.

It’s great to see Murray doing more recording, you may want to check out my review of his guitar trio: CD Review: Oberon Guitar Trio – Music of Our Time.

Congrats Murray!

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule

IMAGES

Rob MacDonald guitar

Madawaska String Quartet
(Rebecca van der Post, Sarah Fraser Raff, Anna Redekop, Amber Ghent)

& Peter Palovsky double bass

Buy the album at the Canadian Music Centre’s Online Boutique:
www.musiccentre.ca/apps/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspItemDetails&buyItemsID=1948

Listen to Samples (via www.musiccentre.ca):

Listen to Full Circle by Andrew Staniland

Listen to Nocturne by Omar Daniel

Composers and Works: ANDREW STANILAND Full Circle; OMAR DANIEL Nocturne; PETER SCULTHORPE Love Song; CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM PIERCE Images

Listening to the above audio samples will do more justice to this recording than words. This album, supported by the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts, is well recorded, fully Canadian (minus Sculthorpe and Pierce), and filled with excellent new music. Rob MacDonald is well known as a member of the Chroma Duo (www.myspace.com/chromaduo) and has been popping up in the news and guitar circles more and more these days establishing him as one of Canada’s most active guitarists. Furthermore, I was pleased to get introduced to the excellent Toronto based Madawaska String Quartet.

Images was sent to me a few months back and I’m only now getting to the review. This is one the best Canadian products I’ve been sent yet and I’m very happy to promote it as a top quality project. The design work on the album and the quality of the recording is superb. Furthermore, guitar and strings is an excellent combination here.

Highlights:

Andrew Staniland was not a name I was familiar with but I will make sure to explore him more. “The New Yorker magazine has described his work as ‘an alternately beautiful and terrifying instrumental meditation’”(www.andrewstaniland.com). This solo work Full Circle is a welcomed addition to the Canadian repertoire and will surely be a top pick for the upcoming younger generation of professions as it highlights a modern range of rhythm and sonic capabilities of the instrument. It’s both an excellent exploration of the guitar’s abilities and a meditative composition reminding me of Adams-like minimalism, Renaissance thematic play, and a very clear and open texture. I sense an almost Japanese aesthetic of clarity and flowing angular rhythms. This is a great composition and is executed wonderfully by MacDonald. He displays both an excellent dynamic range and a masterly control over the rhythmic developments in the work. A major contribution and should not be ignored.

Omar Daniel (link to Canada Music Centre) is a composer that is well know through his collaboration with author Yann Martel. However, Daniel is a major composer with a well established presence and a number of guitar compositions under his belt. The work here with viola, guitar, and cello displays a low registered romp that sounds errie and mysterious at times and ritualistic and aggressive at others.

Peter Sculthorpe‘s Love Song displays some of the more lyrical abilities of MacDonald and really showcases the beautiful tone of the classical guitar against the backdrop of earthy strings.

Images for guitar and string quartet by Christopher William Pierce is a rather complex and haunting work. The work is filled with microtonal shifts and complex thematic material that will leave you wanting to listen to it again and again. The string quartet do an excellent job here and MacDonald, by way of good composing for guitar, shines when needed and gets an interesting cadenza as well. This is another work that I’m sure will see the light of day on a regular basis if it gets enough exposure. There is simply a lack of material in this setting and this work really fills the gap.

Conclusion:

I’ve written many reviews on this site filled with praise and promotional goodness but this recording is my personal favorite because of the excellent repertoire and instrumentation at the hands of brilliant players. It might not be for the strict fans of Tarrega but I suggest traditionalists take a listen, you might find what you’re looking for when you open your ears to MacDonald’s lyrical playing and the contrast in timbre between the guitar and strings. Anyone even half-interested in contemporary works will very much enjoy exploring this.

Images by Rob MacDonald and the Madawaska String Quartet is the best collection of modern works for guitar and strings in Classical Guitar Canada’s growing library. No classical guitarist should skip this recording. Buy the album from the CMC and you’ll be supporting a great Canadian institution and its artists.

Cheers,

Bradford

• Canadian Recordings: Canadian Classical Guitar Recordings
• Student tips and professional development: The Practicing Musician
• Sheet music, Recordings, Gear: www.classicalguitarmusic.org
• Concerts and Events in Canada: Canadian Classical Guitar Events and Concerts Schedule