SCHUBERT: Sonata ‘Arpeggione’ D.821: GRANADOS: 3 Danzas Espanolas : CABRERA : Six Piezas: BRASS: Dia Lohgi d’Amore VII.
Doris Orsan (violin) and Johannes Tonio Kreusch (Guitar)
Available from www.musicjustmusic.com
Having heard several of this guitarist’s recordings I looked forward to hearing this recital in which he shares the limelight with the violinist Doris Orsan whose playing immediately strikes the listener, as it is beautiful and emotive with a wonderful tonal quality to it.
The opening Schubert has a fascinating history as it was written for a now – defunct instrument, the Arpeggione, a cross between a guitar and a cello that had frets and was tuned like a guitar, but played with a bow. Therefore the tuning factor makes it a prime candidate for being immediately transferable to a guitar, and Doris Orsan’s violin is a fine addition, thus making some of the writing that needs a bow rather than fingers, eminently more playable and appropriate .As for the music itself, Schubert is his usual tuneful and adept writing self, and nothing in the three movements sounds in any way like an arrangement, but rather appears to sound as if it was originally written for this combination.
Enrique Granados wrote twelve Danzas Espanolas for piano, and over the decades they have been arranged for multiple combinations as they are diverse in their musical styles, very melodic, and a delight to listen to and play. So violin and guitar is a perfect combination for this haunting music. They play here Andaluza, Oriental, and Villanesca, three of the most popular.
The final two works are world premier recordings, the first being the six Piezas para violin y guitarra which do have many elements of traditional Cuban music .They vary from an opening Preludio and then to a Danza a Tres, based on the Pas de Trois of classical ballet music, to Habanereando a kind of Habanera, and a Crepuscular, which essentially means ‘in the twilight’ and is a memory of Cabrera’s mother who died as the suite was being written, and is full of lost and haunted solo violin lines accompanied by percussive beats on the guitar. The set then has a Cancion sin Palabras, a song without words which is joyful and optimistic, and concludes with a Zapateadero, which is a play on words regarding the Cuban Zapateo dance.
The final premier is the seventh in a large set of Chamber works for various combinations is perhaps the most modern sounding of the repertoire on this CD, but does include many moments of poetry and tenderness alongside the darker moments.
This Cd is yet again, a finely recorded and beautifully played set, and includes such a wide variety of fine music that there is literally something for everyone here.
Chris Dumigan