(пусть гитара останется с нами навсегда)
Villageoise by John DUARTE (1919-2004) from PETITE SUITE FRANÇAISE; I commissioned the great composer in 1974: the purpose was to enrich our guitar repertoire with French music.
“Villageoise” is the first movement, both elegant and facetious.
Le Trouvère et la Douce Dame Jolie by John DUARTE from PETITE SUITE FRANÇAISE; This second movement is a courtly love story:
A troubadour plays chords on his guiterne while getting close to a balcony where a douce dame jolie stands expectantly.
Seeing him approaching, she sings in a major mode.
They then sing together and get into a dance, accompanied by a tambourine.
They then bow to each other.
The troubadour plays two interrogative chords, but gets no reply.
Worried, he plays the chords again.
The douce dame jolie replies with a song, in a minor mode, this time.
Dismayed, the troubadour moves away, playing sad chords…
La Rondette by John DUARTE from PETITE SUITE FRANÇAISE; Last movement; a witty round dance, both elegant and lively, in the Renaissance style.
Boléro, by Maurice Ravel (arr. Peter Kraus); a bold transcription of the celebrated work.
Ragtime by Pierre LERICH (1937-2008): this was a great present from the author for my birthday in 1993.
Etude 22, by Napoleon COSTE (1805-1883): great piece to warm up!.
La Chasse, by Mauro GIULIANI (1781-1829): An accurate depiction of a hunting session, with hornets, the pack of staghounds, the poor doe, the village dance, the mort….
African Dance, by Charles CAMILLERI (1931-2009) :this composer from Malta masters both the African and the European cultures..
Etude, by Matteo CARCASSI: (1792-1853) A delicious moment, far from the madding word..
Variations on a French folk song ‘J’ai du bon tabac’ by Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO (1895-1968):: In the 30s, a musical critic in Geneva wrote that, even if Segovia performed “J’ai du bon tabac”, it would be superb anyhow. The great Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco took the challenge. His experience was that snuff meant sneeze…
J’ai du bon tabac, (fugue) by Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO: This is the final fugue of this extraordinary suite.
Sakura by Yuquijiro YOCOH (1925-2009) : very refined variations on the popular Japanese folk song
Moorish Dance by Esteban de Sanlúcar (1910-1989): Based on Andalucian traditional music — the origin of Flamenco — here is my rendition of the original composition.
Zulquei Walz by José OLIVEIRA QUEIROZ (1910-1968):: A sensual composition by Brazilian composer Jose Olivera Queiroz who dedicated the work to his wife Zulmira (hence the title: ZULmira QUEIroz).
Tango en Skaï by Roland DYENS (1955-2016): The perpetual Argentine sensuality
Andante Armonioso ‘à la Bellini’ (anonymous): this manuscript was apparently found in an attic. To me, a major work, a sweet heartbreaker. But who was this mysterious Pezzoli who signed the arrangement? And where did he find such a glorious theme?Merci to the Guitar Foundation of America
Sonata for Guitar and Words by JP JUMEZ (1943-): the sound of words associated to the meaning of notes [Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez is used in the first poetry]