Torroba

At once elegant and strong, the history and culture display the beauty of Spain. It is that culture and nostalgia that is reflected in John Oeth’s latest album, Castles of Spain, a collection of works by Spanish composer Federico Moreno Torroba (1891-1982). Torroba met the legendary guitarist Andres Segovia in 1918, and Segovia convinced him to write for the guitar. Torroba rejected 20th-century avant-garde ideas in favor of tonal concert music that combines folk elements from Spain with the structure of classical music. His skill is shown in his ability to craft beautiful, lyrical melodies in the slow movements in addition to writing faster, rhythmic music that is undeniably Spanish. Sonatina, the album’s namesake Castillos de España, and Suite Castellana are featured on the album.

Classical and Spanish guitar virtuoso Julian Bream was probably the only instrumentalist of his generation to match the extraordinary talent of his contemporary John Williams among the artists who popularised the music, as well as exploring the potential of the lute in interpreting historical works for that much-ignored instrument. Inspired by jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, he proved something of a child prodigy, studying at the Royal College of Music, and made his concert debut in 1947 at the age of 13. This 58-track 3-CD collection comprises the complete contents of five of his early albums, “Spanish Guitar Music Vol 1”, “Spanish Guitar Music Vol. 2”, “A Bach Recital For The Guitar”, and “Julian Bream Plays Dowland”, on which he plays the lute, for the Westminster label and “The Art Of Julian Bream” for RCA. These include pieces played on the guitar composed by Fernando Sor, Joaquin Turina, Manuel de Falla, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Federico Moreno Torroba, J. S. Bach, Girolamo Frescobald, Mateo Albéniz, Domenico Scarlatti, Domenico Cimarosa, Domenico Cimarosa, Lennox Berkeley, Joaquín Rodrigo, Maurice Ravel, Albert Roussel, and lute compositions by John Dowland. All recorded between 1956 and 1959, they demonstrate his highly-developed talent and expertise from the earliest days of his recording career.

John Christopher Williams is an Australian virtuosic classical guitarist renowned for his ensemble playing as well as his interpretation and promotion of the modern classical guitar repertoire. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award in the Best Chamber Music Performance category with fellow guitarist Julian Bream for Julian and John (Works by Lawes, Carulli, Albéniz, Granados). Guitar historian Graham Wade has said: "John is perhaps the most technically accomplished guitarist the world has seen."

Ana Vidović (born 8 November 1980, Karlovac, SR Croatia) is a Croatian classical guitarist. A child prodigy, she started playing guitar at the age of five, inspired by her brother Viktor. Her father was an electric guitar player. She began performing at the age of 8 and by the age of 11 she was performing internationally, and at 13 became the youngest student to attend the prestigious Academy of Music in Zagreb where she studied with Professor Istvan Romer. Vidović's reputation in Europe led to an invitation to study at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, U.S., with Ray Chester, from where she graduated in May 2005. She has lived in the United States since, where she also works as a private tutor.

"Segovia" is Carlotta Dalia's debut album on Berlin Classics - as the first female guitarist in the label's artist roster.

"Segovia" is Carlotta Dalia's debut album on Berlin Classics - as the first female guitarist in the label's artist roster. The programme is recorded with Carlotta Dalia playing the 1939 Hermann Hauser I guitar, that was originally built for Andres Segovia. There are only two Hermann Hauser guitars existing, one is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The album contains works for solo guitar by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Pedrell, Haug, Ibert, Torroba, Turina and Segovia himself, plus one new commissioned piece by Enrico Melozzi, written especially for Carlotta Dalia.

Renata Tarragó Fábregas, a Catalan guitarist and vihuelist, was a teacher and performer, both as a solo artist and an accompanist. She was the first female guitarist to record Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, and was the editor of the first published edition of the Concierto de Aranjuez score.

This is a superb and rare collection of The Maestro. The first 3 CD include his most treasured pieces cut straight through the heart with great brilliance and virtuosity. Among them, there are 24 selections never previously available on CD. But what makes this box set unique, is the 4th CD, entitled "The Guitar and I", a touching 40 minutes autobiography, written and narrated in English and Spanish by Segovia himself. A really thrilling experience to hear the great Maestro's voice describing all his life step by step. A 'must have' for any classical guitar lover. Enjoy.