MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger


Support us financially by purchasing this from

The Sea Between The Lands
Italy and Spain: Five Centuries of Mediterranean Music
Salvatore Foderà (guitar)
rec. 2019, Merlo Rec Studio, Partinico, Italy
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95862 [52:07]

After only a cursory glance, one could be excused for thinking that this recording presents music from the Australian movie, The Light Between Oceans. While it does include music from a famous movie, it is not the aforementioned.

The Sea Between the Lands is a compilation of five centuries of Mediterranean music from Spain and Italy, incorporating several different styles. Guitarist Salvatore Fodera explains that he wanted to create an emotional path connecting Flamenco with Renaissance, Baroque and Classical compositions. The voice of the guitar helped him show the chemistry between these works.

Fodera was born in Naples in 1983 and grew up in Sicily. His began to study the guitar at eight years of age. Between 2004 and 2011, he studied with Giampaola Bandini, and Pablo Marquez at the Musik-Akademie in Basel. Fodera also attended the University of Parma where he earned a philosophy degree.  He subsequently performed both solo and in chamber music ensembles in more than fifteen European countries; more recently he studied Flamenco with guitarist Pedro Sierra, an experience which inspired The Sea Between the Lands recording project.

The programme comprises music in the main well known to guitar aficionados. The arrangements of the two D. Scarlatti sonatas are by guitarist Eliot Fisk, and the other original works for guitar are by guitarist/composers.  Fodera has opted to include two flamenco pieces by Sabicas and Vincente Amigo. Very few classical guitarists have managed to successfully bridge the gap between Flamenco and Western Art Music; the same is true for Flamenco guitarists who pursue that cross over. Just how well Fodera manages this is a matter for conjecture, but one with which the Flamenco purists will doubtless struggle.  Finally, there is an arrangement of The Love Theme from Morricone’s score for the movie, Cinema Paradiso.

It Is not always easy to identify the precise reason why a particular recording is enjoyable or otherwise. In this instance, the programme, which is interesting, varied and appealing, is a key contribution to a successful initiative. While Flamenco purists may struggle with a more ‘classical’ approach to tracks 8 and 9, the renditions are nonetheless true to the genre in the important elements. There may be none of the string buzzing and frantic picado usually found in authentic flamenco, but there is an element of beauty which conveys the musician’s love and appreciation of the music. Of course, the guitar cannot compare with the orchestrated version of Morricone’s masterpiece (10), but it has an autonomy and relevance which cannot be disregarded. Here one also learns to acknowledge and appreciate the true art of adaptation and arrangement in the pen of Carlo Marchione (10).

Salvatore Fodera is an impeccable guitarist with a fine tone. Add to those virtues his musicianship and good musical tastes, and the result is a recording which is especially enjoyable. The creative aspects of programming are often disregarded by both concert and recording artists, inevitably to their peril. Not so in this memorable performance.

The fine tone heard on this recording is a combination of technical facility and instrument. On this occasion, Fodera plays an instrument made in 2013 by Gabriele Lodi, Carpi. It is no surprise to learn that Lodi is a disciple of the Antonio Torres and Enrique Garcia school of luthiery. The unique, beautiful sound produced by traditional techniques of construction, in conjunction with Italian spruce soundboards, is conspicuous in the recording. This contrasts with many modern guitars that are constructed in non-traditional ways, and employ such innovations as carbon fibre lattice bracing.  Though loud, many of these instruments have a rather nasal sound redolent of a banjo.

Today’s music catalogues are crowded with new releases by relatively unknown young guitarists.
When facing the challenge of finding an excellent performance combined with an entertaining and enjoyable programme, the prospective listener may successfully narrow the field by embracing this recording.

Zane Turner

Contents
Joan Ambrosio DALZA (? 1508)
Calata alle spagnuola ditta Terzetti [2:25]
Alonso MUDARRA (1510-1580)
Fantasia X ]1:56]
Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
Sonata K 1 [3:07]
Sonata K27 [4:26]
Mauro GIULIANI (1781-1827)
Rossiniana Op. 119 [16:39]
Franciso TARREGA (1852-1909)
Capricho Arabe [5:08]
Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946)   
Danaza Espanola No 1 [3:47]
SABICAS (1912-1990)
Farruca [4:45]
Vicente AMIGO (1967)
Solea [5:04]
Ennio MORRICONE (1928)
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso [4:28]



Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing