Joaquín Rodrigo
Guitar Music Vol. 3
Joaquín Rodrigo, composer of the renowned Concierto de Aranjuez (Naxos 8.579053), is acknowledged as one of the great Spanish composers of the 20th century. His music extends the Romantic Impressionist tradition of Albéniz, Granados and Falla, and is inspired by the French style and colour Rodrigo experienced during his studies in Paris. From the thrilling and virtuosic Elogio de la guitarra to his swan song in the Dos pequeñas fantasías, Rodrigo’s guitar music explores the Spanish nature of the instrument and blends tradition with innovation. Always filled with variety, contrast and compelling atmosphere, his oeuvre is now appreciated as one of the central pillars of the entire guitar repertoire.
Agustin Barrios: Guitar Music, Vol. 5
Agustin Barrios Mangores first public appearance was as the Paganini of the guitar from the jungles of Paraguay. This flamboyant image was soon retired, but his legacy as a composer has endured and flourished, as have the recordings he made as the first guitarist to take advantage of new technology from as early as 1910. Ranging from romantic enchantment to fearsome virtuosity via works with Bach-like restraint, this programme embraces Barrios Mangores art from his earliest known piece, Abri la puerta mi china, to the reconstruction of the substantial Diana Guarani from a recording made in 1943. Celil Refik Kaya was awarded First Prize at the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition in 2012 and has since received multiple awards from several prestigious American guitar competitions, as well as the Rising Young Musician of the year from the Donizetti Classical Music Awards in Istanbul in 2017.
Agustin Barrios: Guitar Music, Vol. 4
Agustín Barrios Mangoré was one of the greatest guitar virtuosi of his time and something of a pioneer in making recordings, which he began as early as 1910. His compositions offer a lexicon of technical and expressive devices for the guitar, from both the South American and European traditions. This penultimate volume in the series offers the scintillating Estudio No. 6, which demonstrates some of the composer’s finest artistic characteristics such as poignant treble melodies and a mastery of harmonic progression. Other works include examples of the Paraguayan polka, the Zamba, Creole airs, the Serenata and many other pieces attesting to Barrios’s inexhaustible individuality and variety.
Carlo Domeniconi: Guitar Music
Carlo Domeniconi s distinguished career as an internationally renowned guitarist has been paralleled by his prolific output as a composer whose music repeatedly seeks a synthesis between the disparate cultures of East and West. This programme takes us from the evocative Anatolian mystique of Koyunbaba, Domeniconi s best loved work for guitar, through vivid impressions of Snow in Istanbul, the Arabian-influenced Taqsim, and a charming visit to Japan through Minyo. Award-winning soloist Celil Refik Kaya concludes with the Don-Quijote-Suite, Domeniconi s heart-stoppingly expressive distillation of Spain s most famous narrative.
Jorge Morel: Guitar Music
Argentinian guitarist and composer Jorge Morel’s long and distinguished career has made him a legendary figure amongst guitarists, renowned as “a consummate and virtuoso artist” (Guitar Magazine) whose music is favored for its blend of colorful Latin American vibrancy and North American sophistication. From gently lyrical pieces such as the Milonga del Viento to the life-force of the dance in works such as the Giga Criolla, to the more classical Sonatina, deeply descriptive Pampero and much more besides, this program is a true reflection of the amazing variety of Morel’s creative output.
Stars of the Guitar
First official recording of “Folias” by Roberto Sierra, including the New York premiere. The two CD set on the BPO's Beau Fleuve label presents seven of the most important and most beloved concertos written for the guitar, in live performances of the finalists in the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition. Stars of the Guitar CD is now available throughwww.bpo.org!
