THEODORAKIS, TARREGA, DAVIES, SUMNER & MILLER – Decca multichannel
SACD 475 6618 ****:
The young Japanese guitarist has chosen some early works from the many
composed for the guitar by the introspective, impressionistic Toru
Takemitsu. She also chose some European composers and closes the
recital with two by the musician better known as Sting. On these
and a couple of the others she is joined by Sting’s guitarist Dominic
Miller.
Nine of Takemitsu’s 12 Songs for Guitar are spread out on the disc,
opening with tender arrangements of four Beatles tunes, and later one
of Over the Rainbow. Theodorakis, like Takemitsu, is known for his film
music but also like his Japanese counterpart he has written works for
guitar. The wildly guitaristic Variations on Carnival in Venice
is one Tarrega’s many guitar pieces I had not before heard; it pulls
out so many stops that it begins to sound like two guitars – though
Miller does not join Muragi on this track. The first of the two Sting
numbers – La Bella Dame sans regrets – is in a bossa nova style and was
written as a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim.
The guitar sound is extremely present and detailed, and when it is just
the solo guitar it never sounds like it is 40 feet wide. Why
can’t grand pianos be recorded to image the same way?
– John Sunier
