With its debut recording, the Bernardini Quartet takes us on a journey into the golden age of its formation, consisting of oboe, violin, viola and cello. The programme consists of a selection of exemplary pieces written between 1780 and 1818 by composers of different nationalities who are united by their diversity. Alongside Alfredo and Cecilia Bernardini, father and daughter, respectively oboist/director and first violin of the Ensemble Zefiro, the members are the German violist Simone Jandl and the Dutch cellist Marcus van den Munckhof.
It was always going to be a dangerous mission. Trevor Churchill’s brainchild, THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN POP, had been in development for some time and the prototype was about to be launched into the fray with a bundle of seemingly undifferentiated repertoire. The potential embarrassment factor was high with risk of heavy flak on the way and snipers on the ground in the landing zone. Trevor was calling for volunteers. There was a lot of nervous shuffling among the ranks. Some of the lads took to studying their toecaps, while others took an inordinate interest in the state of their cuticles, or tried to look inconspicuous by melting into the background.
The first half of the 19th century witnessed the blossoming of the Russian seven-string guitar (tuned D G B d g b d'). During that time, an exquisite repertoire for the instrument was created, which departs significantly from the Western European guitar tradition. This compact disc is the world's pioneer recording of selections from that repetoire on original instruments. The performance is historically informed and based on a careful study of Russian 19th century guitar techniques. The pieces included represent the individual styles of eleven composers - ranging from "giants" such as Sychra and Vysotsky to less prolific ones like Alferiev and Palevich, of whom we have only a handful of pieces. This recording displays the variety, elegance and wit of the Russian guitar tradition as well as its technical and musical specifity.