Conference napalm::guitar

    I've been away from classical guitar for quite awhile, but I can
    recommend an album from the mid-seventies entitled "Julian and John".
    Julian Bream and John Williams are the guitarists.  There is no
    orchestra -- just two guitars, but these two make their guitars
    sound like an orchestra.  This album is absolutely incredible and
    I believe that any guitarist would appreciate it, whether they play
    classical or not.  There is a beautiful version of Ravel's "Pavane
    for a Dead Princess".
    
    				-- joe.

    Have you ever listened to any of Andre's Segovia's work. He started
    it all in the early part of this century by introducing the guitar
    to classical music. He has also taught many of the top classical
    guitarists, but I don't recall any his students names off hand.
    He just passed away last year.
    
    I'm sure that his albums must be available in most music stores.
    
    Good Luck,
    
    Mark Jacques
    

    re: Segovia
    
    Ummm, let's say he RE-introduced the guitar to classical music.
    Fernando Sor, Francisco(?) Tarrega and others filled concert halls
    in the nineteenth century.  Paganini's second instrument was the
    guitar, and he wrote some pieces for violin and guitar.  But by
    the early 1900's, the guitar was out of favor again.  Segovia
    single-handedly revived it with his performances, transcriptions
    and teaching.
    
    Up until maybe fifteen years ago, every major league classical
    guitarist was expected to (and did) make a pilgrimage to study with
    the maestro and be anointed.  Including... Julian Bream, John Williams,
    Alirio Diaz, Christopher Parkening, etc.  But it was mostly short-term
    advanced seminar kinda stuff.  They were already world class players
    by the time they got to Segovia.
    
    
    re: Julian and John
    
    They made at least two duet albums containing some of the most
    beautiful guitar music you ever heard.  The aforementioned Pavane
    by Ravel is one of my absolute favorite cuts from any album.
    
    
    re:  Spanish flavored guitar concertos

    Segovia recorded the Concerto del Sur, by ...er, ummm..whatsisname.
    John Williams has recorded some others that I can't recall.
    
    The Aranjuez and the Fantasia para un Gentilhombre are the only
    ones that get much exposure.  I'm pretty sure that Rodrigo wrote
    some others.
    
    
    Bob

    Wow Alirio Dias being talked about here! He comes from my home town
    in Venezuela. I have seen him play guitar sitting like I am in front
    of this terminal. I remember back in 1968 during a new years party
    in New York city where he  and Rodrigo Riera gave us a living room
    concert. What a time!
    

    It is not Dias with an 's', it is with a Z.
    

    Thanks for the info, keep it coming.
    
    FYI - I purchased a Julian Bream CD entitled Guitarra. It is a fully
    digital (DDD) 1987 recording with over 70 minutes of music. It covers
    (in chronological order) the development of the guitar in Spain
    starting with Rennaisance (sp?) Guitar, Vihuela (sp?), Spanish Guitar
    and finally Classical Guitar. There are about 25 tracks. It is a
    closely miked recording (you can even hear his clothes rustle).
    Actually, purists may not like this aspect. Nevertheless, it is
    a SUPERB recording. The quality is breathtaking. It is on RCA Red
    Seal (in the UK anyway).
    
    I have a number of LPs of classical guitar but it really takes CD to
    take your breath away.
    
    Another recommendation is a CD on DECCA with Eduardo Fernandez on
    guitar with (I think) the English Chamber Orchestra. It has full
    (1986, DDD) renditions of Concerto de Aranjuez, Gentilhombre and
    a superb guitar/orchestra piece by a chap called Castelnuova who
    I believe was of Italian descent but wrote Spanish type music. This
    is another highly recommended recording especially on CD.
    
    Richard Briggs
    

    Speaking of Julian Bream, RCA Red Seal has a series by
    Julian called "The Classical Repertoire" or some such
    pompous title.  I have CD's of volumes 4,5 and 7. They
    are digital recordings and are both well recorded and
    well performed.  Highly recommended pompous title
    notwithstanding.
    
    Regards
    Doug Dickerson
    

    I have to retract what I said about the pompous title in
    .7 above.  The series is called "The music of Spain".
    The positive recommendation for the music contained therin
    remains.
    
    BTW Richard... I'll be in jolly olde the last week of Jan.
    In Basingstoke to be specific, so if you have any suggestions
    for record shops or book shops, I'd appreciate it.
    
    Thanks
    Doug Dickerson
    

    Basingstoke is (there's no one from Basingstoke listening is there?)
    a cultural desert! There's an OK sort of music shop called Modern
    Music but that's about it. OUR PRICE records is about the one record
    shop I'd recommend.
    
    If you get to London its got to be Shaftesbury Avenue or Charing
    Cross Road for Guitar and Music shops. You can also easily take
    in Virgin and HMV records at that end of Oxford Street.
    
    Richard