A Guitarist NOT on the Camino

[Tincatinker]

It'll come as a surprise to none that my amigo Richard Durrant will not be making his Bicycle/Guitar pilgrimage from St Mungo's in Orkney to Santiago this Autumn (Fall). It won't surprise many that local, community, Arts Centres are under the cosh.

This is not a funding request. I just thought it was rather lovely. So, for those who like this sort of thing here is a link to Richard, and the brilliant Howard Beach, performing the Concierto di Aranjuez live at my local community owned, community run Arts Centre.

See you all on the other side of this. Stay well. Stay safe.

 

[peregrina2000]

My favorite concerto! I have to admit I wasn’t sure how I’d like it just with piano and guitar instead of a full orchestra, especially the second movement with its typical horn, bassoon, oboe, etc. solos, but I thought it was really beautiful. I do not think there is another piece of music that conveys yearning and melancholy as well as that movemnt, at least not that I have heard. Thanks for posting it, Tinca.

 

[gerardcarey]

That was excellent tinca.
Simply performed, melodic, precise.
Thank you ever so very much.
Regards
Gerard

 

[Kanga]

Brings joy. And a touch of Spain. Lovely.

 

[Kanga]

I'm just heartbroken for all the people in the arts whose livelihoods have collapsed due to this pandemic. Almost all are dependant on specific purpose contracts and arrangements. Here they have received no support from Government which seems fixated on commerce and businesses with regular employees. Yet it is the arts that are keeping us all sane, let alone bring us pleasure and joy. Where would we be present without music, books, art, films?

 

[Turga]

Excellent! Unusual to listen to / see this classic piece performed by a virtuoso guitar player standing and wearing a casual dress with buttoned-down shirt and yellow suspenders

 

[susanawee]

How lovely....thankyou for sharing this with us. Blessings.

 

[SinBosun]

I love Richard's work and his commitment. Thank you.

 

[Bisnieta]

Thank you for this, tincatinker! I wasn't so sure how I'd feel about the non-trad guitar for this piece, but the timbre improved for me when I watched it with higher quality earphones on my laptop instead of my phone. And it was fun to see this performed stripped down in a smaller, more casual venue with just a deftly played piano for accompaniment. I could see making this a trio with, say, a flute too. [Edited to add a PS: Does anybody know what kind of guitar that is? Is it a Solomon Imperial?]

 

[Tincatinker]

Richards website https://www.richarddurrant.com/ might help answer that. I just know that his studio is full of delightful instruments, including the beautiful "Bog Oak" guitar https://www.richarddurrant.com/the-origins-of-stringhenge/

 

[Bisnieta]

Wow, thanks Tincatinker! That bog oak guitar is something!
I still haven't found out yet what guitar he played for Aranjuez but he uses it again to play Asturias (also linked to it on his website):

 

[Felice]

Having tried to learn classical guitar in my youth, I was overwhelmed by the camera work in the first movement. The angle chosen was perfect - a view of both hands from below so that the movement of the fingers of the right hand were visible, along with the perfect alignment of the wrist. Then the ability to really focus on the left hand and see how phrases were played from different fret positions and the subtle tone variation that made. It was quite an inspiration. I was disappointed that this superb technical view was not sued so much in the next movements.