MILAN: Fantasia X; Fantasia VIII: VALDERRABANO: Soneto: SOR: Introduction et Variations sur L’Air ‘Que ne suis – je la fougere! ‘Op26: GRIEG: Ensom Vendrer (Solitary Traveler) from Lyric Pieces Book 3, Op43 No2 (Arr.Kazu Suwa): DE FALLA: Homenaje Pour Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy: BRINDLE: El Polifemo de Oro, Quattro Frammenti per Chitarra: ANGEL BARRIOS: Flor Granadina; Cristinilla; Eloísa; De Cádiz a La Habana; Viejo romance;Jardín granadino; Rosario de la aurora ; Arroyos de la Alhambra: Evocación; Arroyos de la Alhambra: Tonadilla
Kazu Suwa
KSR Classics: KSR002
Japanese guitarist Kazu Suwa has here produced a widely varying group of pieces from the 16 to the 20th Centuries, all very varied in their styles from each other. He begins with the music written originally for the Vihuela, and the music of Luis de Milan, and Enrique de Valderrabano, all three pieces very carefully and authentically played and are followed by one of Fernando Sor’s lesser known sets of variations, but none the worse for being a lesser played piece of his. Not as long or as involved as some of his other works, it nevertheless shows just how good a player our guitarist is.
His solo version of one of Grieg’s 66 Lyric pieces from his ten suites is in its piano original a lovely moving piece, and whereas Suwa plays his arrangement really well, and everything sounds fine from that angle, I felt that a certain amount had to be missed to make it playable on one guitar, and good though it was, I felt it lacked a little something because of these little omissions.
Manuel de Falla’s only work for guitar is next, and he gives it a fine, very moving and restrained performance, and manages to sound quite different at times form some other versions I have come across over the years.
Reginald Smith Brindle takes us firmly into the 20th Century with his four fragments El Polifemo de Oro, a work that puts people firmly into one camp or the other with its tense and often sparsely modern musical language. Whether this composer’s music appeals to the listener, it is safe to say that Kazu Suwa does a remarkable job with it.
The final pieces (9 of them) are all by Spanish composer/performer Angel Barrios, and no relation to Agustin Barrios, whose music is far better known than his namesake’s music. I must confess to having heard almost nothing of this man’s pieces, nor seen his music but it is very entertaining, very varied in its style, full of warm and fresh melodies and harmonies and a very interesting and well – thought out conclusion to this CD
He is a fine player, the recording is superb, and all the guitar’s tonal qualities are well captured. The pieces are very varied with a little something for everyone, and a final 9 pieces that I doubt many will know but most will adore.
Chris Dumigan