A TREASURE TROVE OF SPANISH AND POLISH GUITAR MUSIC

ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

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A TREASURE TROVE OF SPANISH AND POLISH GUITAR MUSIC

The name of Polish guitarist Łukasz Kuropaczewski (www.lukaszguitar.com) might only be familiar to guitar aficionados. Yet, the young Polish guitarist has appeared to great acclaim in concert and in recitals worldwide. This reviewer confesses he had neither heard his name nor that of Polish composer Alexandre Tansman, nor that of Antonio José, the Spaniard whom Maurice Ravel called “the greatest Spanish composer of our century.” So it is with grateful thanks to the good people at Tonar Records that we celebrate the arrival of this marvelous collection of pieces for the guitar by José, Tansman and the formidable Witold Lutoslawki played by Łukasz Kuropaczewski, a musician of the first order.

Playing with precision, delicacy and musicality, the young Polish guitar virtuoso in this, his seventh CD: Łukasz, dazzles with his interpretation of Antonio José’s five-movement Sonata para Guitarra, revealing for the first time to some of us the richness of this undiscovered gem.

Kuropaczewski continues his exploration of the repertory for his instrument with a charming five-movement suite titled Cavatina by his fellow countryman Alexandre Tansman, later bringing the CD to a memorable close with Tansman’s Suite in Modo Polonico, an engaging assemblage of seven short pieces in, as their collective title states, “the Polish manner.”

Ranging from the plaintive Kujawiak to an elegant Polonaise to a fast Mazurka, Tansman’s celebration of Polish music is a treasure trove of melodies and dance rhythms that evoke images of this composer’s homeland.

Poland is a fertile source of folk music, and in Witold Lutoslawki’s seven folk songs we are introduced to a delightful sampling that ranges from the hauntingly melancholic Ach, Moy Jasienko and W Polu Lipenka to the lively Hej, Old Krakowa Jade and the rousing Gaik. These miniatures are spiced throughout by Lutoslawski’s easy way with multi-tonality and his crisp dissonances, and along with those, the ever-present technical prowess and pure flair of Lukazs’s playing.

As is always the case with anything issued by TONAR (www.TonarMusic.com ) the visionary production by Asgerdur Sigurdardottir, the flawless re-mastering by Ed Tetreault, and the fascinating liner notes by Risa Carlson make this CD an invaluable addition to the musical library of any lover of music composed for the gentlest instrument of them all.

Rafael de Acha         http://www.RafaelMusicNotes.com        October 24, 2017

Published by ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

Rafael de Acha has enjoyed a distinguished career in the arts as a performer, stage director, producer, and educator. He was born and grew up in Cuba. At the age of 17 he moved to the United States to study Drama at the University of Minnesota, and later Languages at L.A. City College, Music at the Juilliard School of Music, at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, and at the New England Conservatory of Music, from which he received the Master's degree. He has taught courses on the History of Music at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and at Florida International University, and contributed writings and reviews to Seen and Heard International (www.seenandheard-international.com ) and to this blog. He co-founded the award-winning New Theatre in Coral Gables, Florida, where he produced and staged twenty seasons of classical and contemporary theater, including fifty world premieres of plays that went on to have international and national productions on and off Broadway, including Ana in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz (Pulitzer Prize for Drama 2002 and Tony Nomination 2003.) In 2006 he was presented with a citation from The Dade County Cultural Affairs Council for “trailblazing contributions to the arts in South Florida.”

2 thoughts on “A TREASURE TROVE OF SPANISH AND POLISH GUITAR MUSIC”

  2. Rafael, Wonderful review! Lukasz is a terrific player – Father Heim brought him to Xavier several years ago and he did a class for us at CCM. He and fellow guitarist Marcin Dylla are from Poland where there’s been an excellent school of guitar teaching/playing for years. Right through the Cold War. Marcin was also at Xavier and gave a class at CCM. Marcin did some advanced work with Oscar Ghiglia in Sienna, Gargnano, and other European sites. I’m glad to know about this new CD. You’re right about Asgerdur –she’s a former guitarist, who married Manuel Barrueco. She’s a wizard with business issues. Thanks for reviewing this! Clare

    From: Rafael’s Music Notes <comment-reply@wordpress.com> Reply-To: Rafael’s Music Notes <comment+eq00ft-cuq2au8vrm1r5xjmp@comment.wordpress.com> Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 10:28 PM To: Clare Callahan <callahc@ucmail.uc.edu> Subject: [New post] A TREASURE TROVE OF SPANISH AND POLISH GUITAR MUSIC

    rafaelsmusicnotes posted: ” A TREASURE TROVE OF SPANISH AND POLISH GUITAR MUSIC The name of Polish guitarist Łukasz Kuropaczewski () might only be familiar to guitar aficionados. Yet, the young Polish guitarist has appeared to great acclaim in concert and in recitals worldwide. Th”

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