Boyd Meets Girl
Rupert Boyd (Guitar) and Laura Metcalf (Cello)
Sono Luminus: DSL 92217
Reviewed December 17th 2017
This Australian Guitarist and American Cellist married couple have produced a diverse programme that
opens with Reflexoes No6, a three - movement piece by Jaime Zenamon. Fluido sets the scene admirably with a flowing, rippling effect in, yet retaining a wistful feel. Doloroso is everything that its name suggests whilst the final Vivissimo jumps around happily and is a superb conclusion to a wonderful piece.
Faure’s Pavane is suitably melancholic and graceful, and the four Two – Part Inventions from JSB of course work wonderfully well. Ross Edwards’ Arafura Arioso begins mournfully on a cello melody with subtle guitar arpeggios. The piece develops into a movingly graceful little piece. The Allegretto Comodo from Gnattali’s Sonata for Cello and Guitar has a beautiful sound with the two players’ parts written superbly, and the whole piece a very satisfyingly graceful listen.
Cafe 1930 from Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango sounds well in its new guise, but the find of the CD is doubtless the arrangement by the duo of De Falla’s Siete Canciones Populares Espanolas, originally for voice and piano. The very singular Spiegel Im Spiegel is a bit of a ‘marmite’ piece; you either love it or hate it. This version is wonderful and the cello part is played high up, so as to mimic the original violin pitch; eight minutes of sheer delight. A fun version of Michael Jackson’s Human Nature is a fun close to what is a very enjoyable and beautifully done CD.
Chris Dumigan