David Russell’s Elegy for the victims of the Santiago train accident

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Gerald

Link to David Russell playing Celtic melody

“Estamos en duelo por el trágico accidente de tren en Santiago, la ciudad donde María Jesús y yo nos conocimos y que está tan cerca de nuestro corazón. Nuestro sentido homenaje a las víctimas y nuestro apoyo moral a las familias y a los supervivientes.”

“We are in mourning for the tragic train accident in our beloved Santiago (Spain), the city where María Jesús and I met. A Celtic melody in memory of the victims and our moral support to their families and the survivors.”

–David Russell

“My Gentle Harp” arranged by Gerald Garcia

Get the music here

John Williams the guitarist’s music site

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Gerald

I have often been asked for the music of my transcriptions and original pieces and I have wondered how best to make them available.My main concern has been that for many people in the world published music has become too expensive to buy, even if one can find it – John Williams

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Avid Sibelius fan

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Gerald

SO hands up those of you who were thinking of a particular piece of music software originally written by the brothers Finn rather than a retiring reformed bald alcoholic who created music by slowly transforming thematic elements, and burned most of his unfinished works, including the fabled 8th symphony (what is the next version of Sibelius software going to be called? This does not bode well for the future).
Known by the typical Finnish and Swedish name “Janne” to his family, when he was a student he began using the French form of his name, “Jean”, inspired by the business card of his seafaring uncle. He went on to become Jean Sibelius, the world famous composer and champion of Finnish music as well as one of the most popular 20th century symphonic writers. Continue reading →

Hans Gál – recording project

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Gerald

Gál was born in 1890 to a Jewish family in a small village just outside Vienna. He was trained at the New Vienna Conservatory where later he taught for some time.
With the support of such important musicians as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Richard Strauss and others, he obtained the directorship of the Mainz Conservatory.

Gál composed in nearly every genre and his operas, which include Der Artz der Sobeide, Die Heilige Ente andDas Lied der Nacht, were particularly popular during the 1920s.
Although not exactly a household name in the guitar world, he did compose many works which include the mandolin and guitar, some of which are for mandolin orchestra. Continue reading →

More Biberian – Guitar Concerto

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Gerald

Link to Biberian Concerto.

Gilbert dropped by last month – always an occasion for food, musical discussion and philosophy.
He was insistent, though, that we had time together – alone. Normally my reaction would be “uh oh – what new scheme has he hatched”, but I knew it was different this time.

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Concerto de Mars – Jacques Bondon

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Gerald

Here’s a rarity – it’s piece I used to listen to a lot on an LP.
It is performed by Konrad Ragossnig and the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux and is by the impressionist/eclectic French composer Jacques Bondon.
It’s great to hear it forty years later.

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Alternative performing venues part 2

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Gerald

The alternative performing space I like best is Goldberg’s room next door to his boss Count Kaiserling. The Count was an insomniac and used to get Goldberg to play the clavichord to while away the night – no iPod or TV!
I often wonder how Goldberg must have spent his day and when he had time to practise! Of course, this would all have been a footnote in history if Forkel, Bach’s biographer had not written that Count Kaiserling had commissioned old Bach to write his eponymous set of variations for Goldberg. The Count was reported to have said, frequently ‘Dear Goldberg, do play me one of my variations.’

A few years back, where would you have been able to listen to the following guitarists in a more or less regular series for free? Xue Fei Yang, Johannes Moller, David Leisner, Alison Smith, the Eden Stell Duo, Gerald Garcia and Alison Bendy?

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Belated birthday greetings to Julian Bream (I know you have probably all heard this already)

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Gerald

With Britten and Bream celebrating anniversaries, there has been a bit of a frenzy on the broadcasting front.
So it was refreshing to listen to the programme “Come Heavy Sleep” on BBC3 which combined both anniversarians with insight, largely owing to the sympathetic interviewer, guitarist Tom McKinney.
with only 2 days left to listen, you might like to know a little about the programme anyway: Continue reading →

Hall of Fame honour for Naxos Chairman

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Gerald

Classical Music News: Hall of Fame honour for Naxos Chairman

Klaus Heymann, the founding chairman of Naxos, has been included in the 2013 Gramophone Hall of Fame.
The other four citations were awarded posthumously!
Naxos has done a huge amount for the guitar in their Laureate series and their gradual complete coverage of the repertoire. Klaus Heymann has personally done a lot to promote the guitar (partly because it is advantageous economically!), and I am grateful to have been the first guitarist recorded by Naxos in the early days.