New Millennium Guitar - Corona Guitar Kvartet

Corona Guitar Kvartet
www.CoronaGuitarKvartet.dk
www.MySpace.com/CoronaGuitarKvartet
Albany Records
915 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
(518)436-8815
www.AlbanyRecords.com

Works of J.S. Bach, Maurice Ravel, Thomas Morley, Richard Allison, Hsueh-Yung Shen, and Astor Piazzola

This quartet has been around for quite some time. Originally formed in 1995, their newest member joined them in 2001. This kind of longevity gives a feeling of authority and cohesiveness to an ensemble's playing. One of the few flaws I found in this recording is the apparent unevenness of the microphone balance. This could be caused by the natural sonic imbalance of the different instruments they play here: a terz guitar, standard 6-string classical guitars, and an 8-string guitar. If such different timbres, volume levels, and differences of sound penetration are not carefully borne in mind by either the recording engineer AND those in charge of transcribing the recording onto CD, the result is an imbalanced recording. In most sections, however, the sound is quite spectacular – robust and clear. This makes the few areas of less clear sound all the more galling.

The CD opens with Bach's Italian Concerto, BWV 971, for keyboard. First hearings can be deceiving, which is why I always listen to a recording several times before giving an opinion. When I first heard this Concerto, I felt that its performance sounded “disinterested”. When I returned to it yesterday my reaction was quite different. I believe that my initial reaction may have been caused by the fact that this opening movement is generally played a bit faster. I am an unapologetic Glenn Gould fan. His renditions tend to be quite snappy, almost motoric. However, there is much beautiful playing in this first movement that is not immediately evident. Respected details such as staccato on particular notes, giving emphasis to the beginning or ending of a phrase, do much to bring a score to life. There are a few octave compromises here and there (nothing that Bach himself did not do), but this is occasionally unavoidable when transcribing a demanding work for other instruments. The second movement is essentially an exchange between two voices: the upper being an elaborate melody with much ornamentation; and the lower being a simple pulse, providing a harmonic guide in thirds, interrupted only by an ostinato bass. Neither voice is more important than the other, as it is the overall texture that makes the music work. The relentless exchanges are played here with great simplicity, allowing the music to emerge as intended. After some wondrous false cadences and harmonic urgings from the bass line, the players bring this movement to a simple and elegant close. The third and final movement is a riot of energy. These players are not afraid to have fun with their music. An example is bar 92, traditionally played with a sudden surge of volume (marked “f” for forte). This is, as it usually is, a stunning moment of contrast – leading to a very satisfying conclusion. This is a beautiful performance, full of subtleties and a Bach-lover's sense of detail.

Next is Maurice Ravel's Ma Mere l'Oye (Mother Goose in English). This is one of Ravel's most ravishing scores, and no less so for having been written for two children! This score has had many lives over the years: originally for piano duo, then piano solo (as arranged by Ravel's friend Jacques Charlot), Ravel (an inveterate orchestrator) made his own version for orchestra, and, finally, even a ballet (with extra movements added). It is the original version that we hear in this recording. The score consists of five short movements. Because I could go on forever about this exquisite music and this beautiful performance, I will say only that the playing of the second movement (Tom Thumb) is transcendentally lyrical in the way the upward-moving voices relentlessly ravish the ear. This short movement is truly one of Ravel's loveliest moments.

And now for something completely different (as my favorite British comedy troupe has been known to say). Tracks 9-11 are extracts from Sir Thomas Morley's The First Book of Consort Lessons. The first piece is Morley's own justly famous Joyne Hands. It is perhaps best known in its performances by the Julian Bream Consort. Bream's band makes a quicker, snappier piece of work of it. Our current heroes, however, show a more reflective view. At their somewhat slower pace, the music takes on a whole new world of gently swaying rhythms, sometimes even taking the time to pause momentarily at the end of phrases. I still love Bream's version, but now I also love this one. Next is Morley's O Mistress Mine (with text and title taken from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night). This music has an almost devotional intensity to it, and the playing here doesn't miss a moment of the beauty of this song. Finally, we end this set with Richard Allison's Batchelar's Delight. This rhythmic piece of Elizabethan dance music is played to perfection here. Again, others may play it a bit faster, but no one plays it better!

Next comes a work composed for this quartet, Polar Nights (Nocturne III). Although the composer, Hsueh-Yung Shen, would appear to be of Chinese extraction, he was born in the U.S. and was also trained here. He is a highly decorated composer, not just in the U.S. but elsewhere as well. This is one of the most atmospheric pieces of music I have ever heard. It begins in the lowest regions of the guitar, with many cluster chords and loud declamations. Maestro Shen is a composer with a very interesting style. He has all the capacities of the modern music world: dissonance; unbalanced rhythm; even what seem at times like aleatoric textures. Yet, he also has a deep love of melody and traditional harmonies. This is very interesting music that is brilliantly played.

And finally we have four pieces from the seemingly inexhaustible Astor Piazzolla. If you have read this far in this review then I am quite sure that I need not describe Piazzolla or his music! After all the musica profunda that has preceded these pieces, they are a marvelous way to close this CD. Although all four of these pieces are vintage Piazzolla, I would single out the third and fourth of the lot: Fuga y Misterio and Zita. The fugue is one of my favorite of Piazzolla's pieces, as it shows a more didactic side to Piazzolla's style (something he could have gone a lifetime without displaying, but thankfully did not). Zita is simply a whirlwind of Argentine musical joy!

I cannot recommend this CD too much. These are superior musicians, great guitarists, and they have marvelous taste in guitar music.