Greek guitar virtuoso Smaro Gregoriadou’s second album for Delos, Reinventing Guitar II, continues to win steady and widespread international acclaim. Critic Claudio Bolzan, writing in the October issue of the Italian magazine Musica, heaped high praise on Smaro’s latest effort, expressing considerable appreciation of her pioneering work in demonstrating the evolution of the classical guitar, via fresh and vibrant performances of Baroque-era music on modern replicas of historic instruments.
Bolzan’s enthusiastic review points out that this CD is Gregoriadou’s second effort in which she performs on instruments crafted by master luthier Yorgos Kertsopoulos, who based his designs on meticulous historical research. Bolzan goes on to praise her performances of transcribed harpsichord masterpieces by Bach, Handel and D. Scarlatti. Telling excerpts from the review (Smaro’s translation, my edits) are as follows:
“Her Performances offer surprising vitality, technical mastery, and stylistic relevance. The Scarlatti sonatas are distinctive for a nice “airiness” of phrasing and appropriate dynamic range, while the complex Bach compositions are interpreted with a relentlessy steady tempo plus arresting clarity in the delivery of the most intricate contrapuntal passages …. Equally compelling are the Handel pieces … which she performs with enviable fluency, variety of dynamic shadings … and irresistible liveliness.” He goes on to cite the CD’s “broad range of colors,” as well as the “depth and natural feel” of the recorded sound.
Immediately following the review is Nicola Catto’s thorough and revealing interview with Smaro, in which they discuss (among others) such particulars as the characteristics and potential repertoire applications of the instruments she uses, her association with Kertsopoulos Aesthetics (her distinguished luthier’s foundation), how her own experience as a composer contributes to this project, how Greek culture and history influence her work, other aspects of her career as a performer, and her future plans and dreams. In response to this final question, Smaro enthused:
“Our cherished “standard” guitar cannot, of course, incorporate all the extraordinary forms and sounds that have been a vital part of the instrument’s historical evolution. These therefore deserve a restructuring through continued research as well as new perspectives, ideas, visions, and dreams! So honestly, as both a performer and composer, I couldn’t ask for much more than being able to continue developing, undisturbed, this radical idea of reinvention over the course of time!”
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