Guitar Recital – Kevin
R. Gallagher
The modern guitar has
many colourful ancestors that date back to the times of antiquity. Different
shapes, sizes and tunings abound in its history. The guitar of the present day
is a relatively new instrument. In the latter half of the 19th century, the
Spanish luthier, Antonio de Torres Jurado (1817-1892) developed
an instrument that has become the model for the modern guitar.
The advent of the
early music movement has demonstrated a widespread following of period instrument
performers, scholars and enthusiasts unto itself. This disc samples the most
glorious music enjoyed by the modern guitarist from the repertoire of some of
its Renaissance and Baroque predecessors.
Luys de Narváez, who
flourished between 1530 and 1550 was a Spanish composer and vihuelist. His
book, Los seys libros del delphin (Valladolid, 1538) contains some of
the most inspired instrumental works of the time. Conde Claros is a set
of 22 variations on the tonada of the same name. The Canción del Emperador,
is Narvaez's masterful arrangement of Mille regretz, the famous chanson
by Josquin.
John Dowland (fl.
1563-1626), English composer and lutenist, was one of the greatest musicians of
the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. He composed over 80 pieces of solo lute
music and his lute songs are among the most highly developed vocal works in the
western tradition. The tunes of his Frog Galliard and Lochrimae Pavan
were also set for voice and lute as Now, O now, I needs must part
and Flow my tears respectively. Tarleton's Resurrection is
a beautiful little piece that was written to commemorate the passing of the
famous comic actor Richard Tarleton.
Francesco da Milano
(fl.1497-1543), Italian composer and lutenist was called 'Il divino' by his
contemporaries, a sobriquet he shared with the great Michelangelo. Francesco's
output includes fantasias, ricercars and numerous arrangements of
contemporary vocal works. The two ricercars included here exhibit his
expert blending of early 16th century vocal techniques with idiomatic
instrumental writing.
Francisco Guerau, who
flourished in the late 17th century, was a Spanish composer and guitarist,
whose music is becoming more familiar to guitarists and the general public
alike. His book Poema harmónico (Madrid, 1694) contains 27 compositions
of very high quality, all of which are written for the five-course Baroque
guitar and in variation form. His Canarios with its lively hemiola
rhythms and his Marionas with its tender descending sequences are truly
enchanting.
Santiago de Murcia
(c.1685-c.1732) was a Spanish composer and guitarist. His substantial output
contains not only original works, but also many arrangements of works by his
contemporaries. Folias Gallegas is a rustic dance-like piece which takes
its inspiration from the well-known folia subject and the music of the
north-western Spanish province Galicia. Payssanos is a reworking of the
celebrated tune Greensleeves.
Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750) needs little introduction; he was perhaps the greatest musician who
ever lived. The autograph manuscript states that his Prelude, Fugue and Allegro,
BWV998, was meant 'pour la Luth o Cembal' (for the Lute or the
Harpsichord). It is probable that the piece was conceived at the keyboard with
the lute in mind. It has become a staple of the guitar repertoire.
The German composer
Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1686-1750), was one of the greatest lutenists of his
time. He travelled throughout Europe and met with many of the finest musicians
of the day. His beautiful improvisatory Prelude exhibits the style
brisé texture found in much lute and harpsichord music of the period. The
virtuostic Courante and the tuneful Alternatum attest to
Weiss'mastery of idiomatic writing.
David Nadal
