Here is another wonderful and recent production from Brasil’s GuitarCoop featuring the brilliant Italian virtuoso, Aniello Desiderio performing composer George Schmitz’s Wie Die Nacht Übers Land Kommt new composition. Translated as How the Night Comes Over the Land, I have found my ear unable to stray when listening to this piece, perhaps under the spell of the approaching night. I hope you enjoy the composition and performance as much as I did.
For more details, another wonderful guitarist, Fabio Zanon introduces the piece.
Winner of the Youth Division of the Guitar Foundation of America’s 2017 International Competition, Leonora Spangenberger has started to grace more and more stages with her talent. A few months ago I posted some videos of this exceptionally talented wunderkind performing three of twelve etudes by Heitor Villa-Lobos. To follow up that post, Leonora took some moments from her busy schedule to share some details about her life with guitar so far. From swimming as a hobby to preparing what sounds like a monumental program for an upcoming concert in Vienna, Leonora seems to have a wonderful world of music making in front of her.
When did you start playing and why? Or, what drew you to the guitar initially?
At the age of six, my older sister and I met a Spanish lady in our
neighborhood once a week. We sang Spanish songs and had a lot of fun
learning some Spanish words and expressions with her. One day I found a
guitar at her house and was curious about how to play it, although I
hadn’t listened to a guitar before at all. I started lessons and that’s
how everything began.
What repertoire do you enjoy playing the most?
I really love to perform pieces written in the Baroque period. Most of
the time and especially at the moment I play works by Bach. Besides, I‘m
also interested in finding new contemporary pieces like ‘Four Images of
Japan’ by Jana Obrovská and Serenade and Toccata by Sofia Gubaidulina.
What guitar or guitars do you perform on?
For about two years now I’ve been very happy with my Robert Ruck guitar
that was previously played by Tilman Hoppstock. It’s a brilliant
instrument and I’ve been discovering new colors almost every day.
Are there any recordings that you consider have the finest recorded sound for guitar?
The Pepe Romero version of the Aranjuez concerto is the most inspiring
recording to me.
What are some up and coming projects that excite you?
I’m very honored to have the opportunity to perform in the Konzerhaus
in Vienna in April 2019. There I’m going to play the first and sixth
keyboard partita by J.S. Bach and also contemporary works. I’m very much
looking forward to giving this concert and I’m already really excited.
Do you have a favorite drill or exercises you use to warm up?
Probably like everybody: scales, slides, slurs, trills, etc.
Do you have any pre-concert rituals?
Not really. To me it’s important to have enough sleep before the concert
in the evening. I like a rich meal in the morning and snacks during the
day. And of course warming up is part of my pre-concert preparation.
Could you offer any advice to other young players?
Have fun. 😉
Do you try to stay healthy? Exercise? Follow a particular diet? Have a favorite pre-concert food?
I think doing sports is the best way to stay healthy. There are lots of
kinds of sport you could do and to me swimming is a great chance to
relax from daily stress and to keep my body healthy.
What is your favorite way to spend time when not practicing?
Swimming, as I mentioned before, and meeting friends.
Special thanks to Stefan Schmidt for facilitating the interview and to Siccas Guitars for the video of Henze’s Drei Tentos.
Referred to as “the king of guitar” by Italy’s press, Cuban-born virtuoso, Marco Tamayo, recently posted a run-through of his brilliant transcription of Domenico Scarlatti’s keyboard Sonata K.318.
From his facebook post, he mentions having transcribed many more of Domenico Scarlatti’s sonatas 20 years ago. I imagine he’s transcribed more since then and I am excited at the hint of the idea that he may publish a set of them. If you are familiar with his editions, they are extremely detailed with insight that would take decades to extract from even the best teachers.
To say Marco’s playing inspires me would be a dramatic understatement. I cannot imagine a more effortless performance. Or one that could be any more beautiful, any more virtuosic, or any more elegant.
This beautifully shot video of Italian virtuoso, Alberto Mesirca, comes via the Paris Guitar Foundation. Mesirca interprets one of Domenico Scarlatti’s more difficult harpsichord sonatas (K.239) in an almost effortless way in a magical setting.
Six String Journal 