“Spirit of Brazil” – Aquarelle Guitar Quartet = ASSAD: Bluzillian; Dancas Natives; Uarekena; VILLA-LOBOS: Aria from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5; Brincadeira from Quartet No. 1; GISMONTI: Palhaco; Memoria e Fado; DYENS: Bresils; BELLINATI: A Furiosa – Chandos CHAN 10512, 58:44 [Distr. by Naxos] *****:
Corona Guitar Kvartet – BACH: Italian Concerto; RAVEL: Mother Goose Suite; MORLEY: First Book of Consort Lessons; SHEN: Polar Nights; PIAZZOLLA: Rio Sena; Adios Nonino; Fuga y Misterio; Zita; ABREU: Tico-Tico no Fuba (video) – Albany TROY1084. 63:34 ****:
Have to admit: I love guitar quartets. Also sax quartets and cello quartets and flute quartets. In fact I like ‘em all even better than string quartets. Here’s two guitar quartets that warrant your interest – one from England and one from Denmark.
The Aquarelles began as a student group at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK. They have developed extraordinary virtuosity, and finding the music of Brazil a tremendous inspiration, decided to devote their entire CD to Brazilian selections. There are three works from the talented Brazilian family the Assads (two of them are currently touring with violinist Solerno-Sonnenberg). The CD has two pieces by young Clarice Assad and one by her father Sergio. Going back a few years, there are two familiar themes from Villa-Lobos, probably the most influential composer from South America. Plus a pair from Egberto Gismonti, who mixes classical, jazz and Brazilian folk themes in his delightful music. Sonics are fine, though both these albums would be even more impactful were they released as surround SACDs.
The Copenhagen-based guitar quartet brings a quite different program of selections, though the four clever arrangements of Piazzolla tunes delve into the South American idiom. There is also what has become the quartet’s theme song – their arrangement of Tico-Tico by the Brazilian Zequinha Abreu. That short track is accompanied by a cute little three-minute video using the enhanced video format.
Bach never fails when transcribed for other instruments. The opening three-movement version of his Italian Concerto is a winner. As is the five-movement Mother Goose Suite of Ravel. Three 16th century lute pieces by Thomas Morely and Richard Allison are transcribed for The First Book of Consort Lessons, and Hsueh-Yung Shen’s Polar Nights depicts watching a display of the Aurora Borealis and other heavenly sights in the far north. The three standard Spanish guitars are joined by an 8-string guitar for all of the selections, giving a lower bass extension than the normal guitar.
– John Sunier
