Joaquín RODRIGO (1901-1999)
3 Spanish Songs (1951) [4:20]
Aranjuez, Ma Pensée (1968/1988) [5:14]
Joaquín TURINA (1882-1949)
Sevillana, op.29 (1923) [5:26]
Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805), arr. Julian BREAM (b.1933)
Introduction and Fandango [5:53]
Sérgio ASSAD (b.1952)
Autumn Waltz [3:57]
Radamés GNATTALI (1906-1988)
Sonata for Guitar and Cello (1969) [10:52]
Giulio REGONDI (1822-1872)
Introduction and Caprice, op.23 [9:20]
Martin DERUNGS (b.1943)
Elegy, op.59 (1996) [7:47]
Peter WETTSTEIN (b.1939)
Sketches (1981) [4:20]
Ludwig SENFL (1486-1542/3) arr. Admir DOÇI (b.1982)
Carmen [3:25]
Lamentatio [1:33]
Mag ich Unglück nit Widerstahn [1:40]
Trad. arr. Admir DOÇI
Ach Elselein, liebes Elselein [1:45]
Admir Doçi (guitar)
Leila Pfister (mezzo) [Rodrigo]
Martin Derungs (harpsichord) [Boccherini]
Mattia Zappa (cello) [Gnattali]
Matthias Weilenmann (recorder) [Senfl]
rec. Alte Kirche Boswil, November 2008. DDD
GUILD GMCD 7347 [65:41]
Guild is a Swiss label, and, wholly reasonably, this release features many
Swiss musicians: composers Regondi, Derungs, Wettstein and Senfl, and the
four excellent 'duettists' named above. And although star guitarist Admir
Doçi is Albanian, he did study, graduate and perform widely in Switzerland.
Those composers who are not Swiss all have some connection with Spain or its
old empire in South America, and these make up the first half of the programme.
Guitarophiles will be very familiar with Turina's Sevillana, op.29,
and admirers of Spanish music will also know Rodrigo's fleeting 3 Canciones
Españolas, at least in their original version for voice and piano. Even
more will recognise the spine-tingling Aranjuez, Ma Pensée as an arrangement
of the famous second movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez. But how
many will know that Rodrigo himself did the rewriting, in his 87th year no
less, to a text by Victoria Kamhi - who also arranged the folk material for
the 3 Canciones?
Apart from the opening ten or so minutes of Rodrigo, the CD is purely instrumental,
with Doçi's guitar appearing either as a solo instrument, or in duos with
harpsichord, cello or recorder. And indeed, as can be deduced from the shortness
of many of the works, and the chronological variety of the composers, this
disc is primarily a showcase for the talented Doçi, who is currently Professor
of Guitar in Tirana.
Sérgio Assad's Valsa de Outono (Autumn Waltz) and Peter Wettstein's
Skizzen (Sketches) are both shortish solo pieces. Wettstein
is Swiss and Assad Brazilian, and their 'sounds' are as different as might
be expected, even in these relatively nonchalant works. Skizzen opens
with an impressive 'drum roll'. Radamés Gnattali, despite the Italian
look of his surname, is also Brazilian, and once again the South American
influences shine through in his Sonata for Guitar and Cello, though
perhaps sounding more Argentinean than anything, particularly in the first
movement. This is probably the finest work on the disc, with expressive playing
from both Doçi and cellist Mattia Zappa.
Boccherini's Fandango is the much-arranged one from his D major Guitar
Quintet G448 (itself an arrangement by Boccherini of an earlier work!), in
a witty version by Julian Bream for guitar and harpsichord. Martin Derungs
is a Swiss harpsichordist and composer and appears twice on the disc, once
in each capacity - first in the Boccherini, and then when Doçi plays his Elegie,
op.59, an unusual, slightly unsettling work, and probably the best for
solo guitar on the CD.
The longest work for solo guitar featured is Giulio Regondi's Introduction
et Caprice, op.23. As well as a guitarist, Regondi was famed in his time
as a concertina virtuoso, and that somehow seems to come out in this warm,
lilting piece.
To a broader public, Ludwig Senfl is probably the most well-known Swiss name
of all those appearing here. He is represented by three arrangements by Doçi
for guitar and recorder, inconsequential but nevertheless pretty. The last
item is also an arrangement by Doçi, this time of a folksong, but sounding
quite a lot like Senfl.
Sound quality is splendid throughout, and the booklet informative, though
some of the text is very small. In sum, by no means an essential purchase,
but Doçi's flawless guitar playing and the imaginative, melodious programme
lend this CD wide appeal, and make it a pleasant way to spend an hour.
Byzantion
Flawless playing and an imaginative, melodious programme lend this CD wide
appeal. A pleasant way to spend an hour.