Mcfadden - Guitar Recital [CD]

GRANADOS / COSTE / ASENCIOHENZE / BARRIOS / RODRIGOGuitar Music During the second half of the nineteenth century,composers throughout Europe sought to divest themselves of the universalmusical language of Viennese classicism. Composers began to incorporateelements of folk-music and national culture in their compositions. In Spain,Enrique Granados (1867-1916) was a principal exponent of the new nationalism inmusic as is apparent in his Danzas Espaliolas and Goyescas. Inthe Valses Poeticos the Spanish flavour is clearly in evidence, thoughwe also hear echoes of the Viennese waltz of Johann Strauss, who had toured Europewith his orchestra and whose music was probably known to even such an insularcomposer as Granados. Indeed the piece had been foreshadowed earlier in thecentury by Weber in his Aufforderung zum Tanz which, like the Valses Poeticoshas a formal introduction leading to a smoothly connected sequence of waltzesand ends with a coda referring to earlier themes. Many of Granados' pieces have survived into this centurythrough the labour of guitarists transcribing works from the piano, as is thiscase in this recording. As much as Granados' work has been ignored by modernpianists, with the notable exception of Alicia de LarroCha, the compositions ofthe nineteenth century guitarist Napoleon Coste (1805-1883) have been curiouslyignored by repertoire-hungry guitarists. The Rondeau de Concert recordedhere is just one example of the various extended concert works written by Costefor guitar. A single movement work combining a virtuosic introduction androndo, the piece is similar to the concert overtures, in turn derived from theopera overture, which enjoyed great favour during Coste's productive life. Indeedthe Rondeau de Concert, with its light-hearted melodies and buoyantturns of phrase, betrays the influence of the opera comique in Coste's work. The music of the Paraguayan guitarist-composer AugustinBarrios (1885-1944) has come to the attention of guitarists through the effortsof such artists as John Williams. The music of Barrios is typical of theacculturation that was present in the works of Latin American composers at theturn of the century. His compositional style shows both the influences ofEuropean Romanticism and of the nationalistic trends that were prevalent inLatin-American music in the latter half of the nineteenth century. His use offorms ranges from European staples such as the mazurka and waltz toSouth-American folk-music such as the Danzas Paraguayas. Though not as conspicuously programmatic as some of hisother works, La Catedral is said to be based on a personal experience ofthe composer. Though perhaps apocryphal, the story provides a colourfulbackdrop to the piece. Finding solace near a quiet church in the bustling cityof Montevideo, Barrios was inspired to compose the Andante religioso,with its chorale-like textures and plaintive harmonies. The ensuing Allegro solemneis said to represent his return to the nois