There seem to be a renewed fascination with adaptations to Bach’s Chaconne from the second Violin Partita, and interestingly enough, not the famous Busoni adaptation; We recently had a performance by Igor Levit playing the Brahms’ left hand adaptation, and Thomas Dunford’s own for the lute. Thibaut Garcia arranged this masterpiece for classic guitar, and is the most effective in conveying this endlessly moving work. He is not shy of adding some ornaments and small additions, making it sound much more natural and appropriate on the guitar.
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The new album, called “Bach Inspirations”, contains, besides Bach, music by 5 other composers, all incorporating some form of internal dialogue with the German master. Garcia’s beautiful tone and control of colouring is in full display in the first piece in the album – the deeply moving “La Catedral” by the Paraguayan composer and master guitarist Agustín Barrios. Garcia remarkably achieves the most subtle nuances and phrasing practices within the quietest, almost whispering volume. This is a sweet, pure yet penetrating tone that is a virtuosity by itself, and is consistent throughout the album. His version of La Catedral not only surpasses the famous John Williams, Sharon Isbin and Göran Söllscher versions, but in the final, difficult fast movement, even surpasses the version by the composer himself.
After the Chaconne, soprano Elsa Dresig joins Garcia in Charles Gounod’s Ave Maria, based on Bach’s first prelude from the well tempered clavier (book I). The arrangement for guitar and voice (again by Garcia) works remarkably well, with Dresig beautifully reaches the highlights of this short vocal piece without sounding forceful nor covering up the delicate guitar accompaniment. The two give another persuasive version for guitar and voice for Villa Lobos’ “Bachianas brasileiras No. 5”, originally written for soprano and orchestra of Cellos.
Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986), today a rather forgotten music figure, wrote some lovely pieces for guitar and his “Inventions” clearly take their cue from Bach’s suites movements. Garcia lyrical performance does them full justice, sensitive to the multilayered voicing and elegancy of Tansman’s harmonic progressions (The fourth ‘passacaille’ movement is especially attractive); Cristiano Poli Cappelli’s version (Brilliant Classics, 2016) sounds stressed and rushed in comparison.
Dušan Bogdanović brings the Bach connection to the 21st century, with his “Suite Bréve”. A relative new piece, it’s fascinating to hear how the composer grasps the old baroque forms – the suite contains a Toccata, Fugue and a Chaconne among others. It’s clear Garcia is in fully involved with each movement of this lovely piece. The composer could not have asked for a better proponent of it.
The album finishes off coming back to the original inspiration, with two expertly crafted arrangements of two chorals form Bach’s Cantatas, also by Garcia. A truly wonderful album.
“Bach Inspirations”
Thibaut Garcia – Classical Guitar
Erato / Warner Classics CD 9029560526
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