Giuliani: Solo Guitar Music performed on 19th Century Guitar [Import]

Mauro Giuliani (Composer), David Starobin (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: David Starobin
• Composer: Mauro Giuliani
• Audio CD (September 11, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bridge Records
• ASIN: B000003GIN
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,687 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Giuliani performance!, March 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Giuliani: Solo Guitar Music performed on 19th Century Guitar (Audio CD)

Giuliani on the guitar provides the world with a rather interesting spectrum of classical musciality in all it's pomp and splendor. The style takes you back to a Viennese Classical elegance. The sound is refined and Starobin's playing is animated in the most interesting of ways to give the music some real life and substance. The sound is very fine and the disk is highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Starobin's Performance Deserves more that a silly 1* rating!, November 22, 2011

By 

Giradman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Giuliani: Solo Guitar Music performed on 19th Century Guitar (Audio CD)

Well, the reviews are over 10 years old and I just acquired this CD which was recorded in 1990 by Starobin, the co-founder w/ his wife of Bridge Records. This disc does not warrant a 1* rating which from the comments seem to be rating his concert appearance rather than the music performed on the disc?

Mauro Giuliani was a revered virtuoso who wrote a LOT of music - this is my first CD of his 'solo' guitar music although I own 3 other CDs of his non-solo compositions of various types, plus a lot of other solo guitar recordings. The pieces on this disc are varied and provide a nice introduction to this composer's solo genre - knowing that there are multiple volumes (Tecla Editions website, if interested) of his works, my only disappointment is that the recording could have been 30 minutes longer (comes in at 48 minutes) - the cover art states Vol. 1 but not sure if Starobin went any further with this project.

The instrument used is a copy of a JG Staufer guitar (ca. 1829) which provides a unique experience - I cannot imagine that this guitar would be any easier (or harder) to play than a modern classical one in the hands of an academic professional, such as Starobin. The music is beautifully performed and I certainly cannot detect issues w/ his technique, regardless of which hand is being considered? His dynamics are well done and the guitar does have a somewhat mellower sound than a modern instrument; I am not sure what kind of strings are being used (i.e. gut vs. metal or a combination - might send Bridge an email?). The sound engineering is also well done - the performer is up front as if in the room and extraneous noises (breathing, fretting, etc.) are pretty much absent. Overall, a recording that I cannot imagine being rated less than 4* here - might have knock off 1/2* if possible for the shortness of the disc?

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way it was meant to be..., December 12, 2000

By 

Les Kismartoni (Park Ridge, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Giuliani: Solo Guitar Music performed on 19th Century Guitar (Audio CD)

The other reviewer must be a guitarist... Always preoccupied with technique and the like... Besides, the issue here isn't a performance (in which all performers have bad days...), but rather the recording! The point of this album is to present the music of Giuliani the way it was; hence the 1800's Stauffer copy guitar. The tone is very different from the standard "Classical" (Which is based on a the Spanish "Torres" guitars...) a bit lighter, not as much bass, a charming clarity. The performance is very well recorded and the music is very charming if you enjoy 1800's late classical/early romantic music. Some people have called Giuliani's music "trite" but, who are we kidding, not all music can be a Mozart or Beethoven, some of it must be a lighter/simpler character that reaches out to people not preoccupied with the most extravagant... Kind of like motorcycles; yeah, Race Replicas that go 160mph are cool, but the bike that you ride everyday and enjoy is much more far reaching and endearing, it grows with you in a way that this music does... I really enjoy this. Good for the real 1800's style and experience played with an impeccable touch!