Customer Reviews

Giuliani: Solo Guitar Music performed on 19th Century Guitar

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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?

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!

This is my favorite recording of Giuliani's solo music. Giuliani on a delicate 19th c. guitar sounds nothing less than absolutely appropriate. Performance on Viennese guitars, specifically sporting a scant 60-cm scale and <5-cm nut, carries a unique set of challenges (quite different than those of the modern, concert guitar) and Mr. Starobin handles them effortlessly. His choices in phrasing and freedom with tempo lend an air of sprightly authenticity. His handling of the Grande Ouverture, op. 61 is exhilarating and worth the price in itself.

Though the music is beautiful. I believe he does not want to play a standard classical guitar because it might be too difficult for him. I saw him play in a recital on 4/25/99 and was very disappointed because of his (Andres Segovia would say A FERVENT INCOMPETENT). Poor left hand technique and RIGHT HAND TECHNIQUE. And the people i took to see him were very disappointed because hi would move from left to right making one dizzy. We could not hear the Guitar because he played a early 1800's guitar.