As a coda to yesterday’s post, here is what one of my greatest heroes, Woody Guthrie wrote about John Cage and Alan Hovhaness, at the same time showing just what a wonderfully clear thinker and straightforward man Woody Guthrie was.
Category Archives: Guitar
4’33”
I imagine that any comment should be superfluous, but just in case you wondered, the Museum of Modern Art will exhibit Cage’s 1952 score “4’33” (In Proportional Notation) will be exhibiting this famous piece this month.
Rare CD – The Romantic Guitar now available as a download
This CD was first issued by Beautiful Jo and you can still buy a physical CD from their site.
It probably is my last CD, and contains some of the first modern recordings of Ernest Shand.
Go there now.
There are also some old recordings not available anywhere else – here
Brazilian Mozart
He had two brothers, one named Verdi, the other Rossine, so it isn’t surprising that his parents had musical ambitions for Mozart Guarnieri. In an act of self effacement (and probably to ward off unkind comments) he changed his name to M.Camargo Guarnieri (Camargo was his mother’s maiden name, and M. stands, of course, for Mozart).
He is arguably the most important Brazilian composer after Heitor Villa-Lobos having written 6 symphonies, 6 piano concertos and many chamber works. Continue reading
Antiche Variazioni
Luigi Mozzani was a famous and respected guitarist who died in 1943. He also made guitars and travelled widely, living in England for 6 months. His most famous work is “Feste Lariane” the favourite of many an aspiring concert guitarist.
He lived in Bologna, which is where he had a large library of music in which Angel Gilardino found a neatly written manuscript of a solo guitar piece which was signed “Respighi” at both top and bottom. The one and the same person who wrote three orchestral suites called Antiche arid e danze per liuto in 1917, 1923 and 1931.
He was evidently keen on the guitar and would have asked Mozzani, who lived in Bologna at the same period (1900-1909). It us very likely that Respighi wrote the guitar piece, not at the request of Mozzani, but as a study to learn about the instrument. He was a master at writing for different instruments and would have asked Mozzani for advice. However, it seems this was not forthcoming, and Respighi may have dropped the matter. Segovia subsequently came to know Respighi, but there is no mention of the piece or any attempt to write something for the maestro which we know of. I think the main problem with the Variazioni is that they are in quite unusual flat keys for the guitar, going from C major, through F, then Bb, G minor, C minor,Ab, Db (eek!)Bb minor. Then he runs out of flat keys and the editor kindly puts us back into C major! Continue reading
All in the golden Afternoon – Betty Roe
Betty Roe – her father was a fishmonger in Shepherd’s Bush – is a distinguished composer (in 2011 she was awarded an MBE) and performer of English song, instrumental music, choral music and musicals She was Director of Music at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art from 1968–78. Her website simply states ‘Musician’. Continue reading
Jacob do Bandolim
What do you get if you substitute an ‘M’ for a ‘B’ and an ‘n’ for an ‘m’?
You get a virtuosic Brazilian mandolinist whose day job was a pharmacist (and also a public notary) and who was impeccably dressed for concerts. He also wrote many of the Brazilian hits of all time, aptly named Jacob Pick Bittencourt, whose stage name was Jacob do Bandolim, “Jacob Mandolin”.
In addition to his virtuoso playing, he is famous for his many choro compositions, more than 103 tunes, which range from the lyrical melodies of “Noites Cariocas” (“Carioca Nights”), Receita de Samba and “Dôce de Coco” to the aggressively jazzy “Assanhado”, which is reminiscent of bebop. He also researched and attempted to preserve the older choro tradition, as well as that of other Brazilian music styles.
Special offer on Etudes Esquisses mp3 downloads
Alison Bendy is having a sale to promote her new website which features mp3 downloads of accompaniments for the best selling guitar method, The Guitarist’s Way by John Whitworth and Peter Nuttall and publishes by Holley Music.
One of the sale items is a bundled download of Ten of my Etudes Esquisses, beautifully performed by Alison and expertly recorded by Oli Whitworth.
That’s £1.50 for Ten Etudes, which at 15p each is a real bargain!
Etudes Esquisses in the mp3 bundle:
1 Etude No 1 L’Amour Soucoupier
2 Etude No 3 Flocon de Neige
3 Etude No 4 Les Ajoncs d’Or
4 Etude No 6 Apres midi d’un Cafard
5 Etude No 8 Entre-maestro
6 Etude No 11 Vert dansant
7 Etude No 12 Coeur de la Rose
8 Etude No 17 Tournesol
9 Etude No 18 Argent….
10 Etude No 19 Les Moulines Mariniers
Continue reading
