Guitarist Thibaut Garcia’s latest album groups together Joaquín Rodrigo’s famous “Concierto de Aranjuez” with less known concertante and solo works. “Aranjuez” is followed by compositions by the work’s dedicatee and first performer, Regino Sainz De La Maza (1896–1981). Then we have a rare performance of Alexandre Tansman’s “Musique de cour”, a work for guitar and chamber orchestra loosely based on themes by Robert de Visée, whose own work, arranged by Garcia, is closing the album.
All the hallmarks of Garcia’s previous albums are here, specifically the wonderful “Bach Inspirations” reviewed in these pages. There is a round, silky sound to the nylon strings while the metal strings are played with careful voicing, so they are never harsh even at the loudest dynamics. The left-hand work is impressively accurate, with no unnecessary slides over the frets, making the contrapuntal segments especially endearing.
There is hardly any recording in the catalog that can match this new version’s opening crescendo and the clever dialog with the woodwinds in the first movement. One also has to recognize the terrific accompaniment of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, let by Ben Glassberg. Listen how, at around 3’30”, the orchestra’s sections are juxtaposed against running scales by the guitar, or in the second half of the third movement, where a cheeky dialogue with the woodwind and brass makes sense of this difficult occasion where the soloist plays together with the orchestra and not against it. There is simply no better execution on record.
Garcia’s performance of the famous slow movement is a combination of improvisatory elegance with rhythmic stability, set by the accurate pizzicato accompaniment. This constant bit allows the soloist to play freely without losing direction. Garcia’s tone makes this movement sound more reserved and cool than, say, Bream or Yepes, though no less impressive, and Glassberg’s expertly leads the final outburst to match Garcia’s style, making for a single-minded interpretation.
Related Classical Music Reviews
- Review: ‘Bach Inspiration’ – Thibaut Garcia, Guitar
- Review: “Dance” – Jason Vieaux, Guitar, The Escher Quartet
- Review: Villa Lobos – Guitar and Harmonica Concertos – Barrueco, Staneck
Most listeners will come to this album for the Rodrigo, but the solo pieces are no less impressive and work well as a contrast to the concertante works. Regino Sainz De La Maza was the first performer of Concierto de Aranjuez, and here we have four short and well-chosen works, representative of his style which glues together romantic sentimentality with traditional Spanish music. Robert de Visée’s “Pieces for Theorbo and Lute”, arranged for guitar by Garcia, is in a form of a French Baroque Suite, marking a calm and intimate closure to the album.
The second concertante work here, Alexandre Tansman’s “Musique de cour” for guitar and chamber orchestra, is a somewhat uneven composition, with pleasant tunes and subtle accompaniment. As in the closing Visée, it’s in a form of a Baroque Suite, but the repetitive tunes, with all of their beauty, do not stand repeated listening. Though the performance by Garcia and co. do this piece full justice, I would have preferred hearing Rodrigo’s charming “Fantasía para un gentilhombre” instead. Hopefully we’ll get it on a future album. In any case, this performance of Concierto de Aranjuez is one for the books, standing proudly among legendary performers from the past.
“Aranjuez”
Rodrigo – Concierto de Aranjuez
Regino Sainz De La Maza – Sacrificio, Zapateado, Rondeña, El Vito
Alexandre Tansman – Musique de cour
Robert De Visée – Suite in A minor in Pièces de Théorbe et de Luth (arr. Garcia)
Thibaut Garcia – Guitar
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
Ben Glassberg – Conductor
Warner Classics, CD 9029523570
Recommended Comparisons
Romero | Yapes | Williams | Bream
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