Category: Performance Video

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Over the last year I have been working on a masterpiece of romantic music by the Austrian Composer Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828). This inventive and exquisite arrangement of Schubert’s Lob der Tränen is from the hand of the 19th century guitar virtuoso, J.K. Mertz.

Mertz’s guitar music, unlike that of most of his contemporaries, followed the pianistic models of Liszt, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Schumann, rather than the classical models of Mozart and Haydn. He was active in Vienna (c.1840-1856). As virtuoso, he established a solid reputation as a performer. He toured Moravia, Poland, and Russia, and gave performances in Berlin and Dresden.

In 1846 Mertz nearly died of an overdose of strychnine that had been prescribed to him as a treatment for neuralgia. Over the following year he was nursed back to health in the presence of his wife, the concert pianist Josephine Plantin whom he married in 1842. Some speculation may lead one to the conclusion that listening to his wife performing the romantic piano pieces of the day during his period of recovery may have had an influence on the sound and unusual right hand technique he adopted in his pianistic arrangements such Lob der Tränen (In Praise of Tears).

Schubert produced a vast catalogue during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. J.K Mertz has given us Lob der Tränen among other Schubert songs, to play on the guitar and capture their extraordinary beauty. There are a myriad of outstanding recordings of this virtuosic guitar arrangement on YouTube. This is my humble addition.

I’ve included Schubert’s original text in English below.

In Praise of Tears
English translation by Richard Wigmore

Warm breezes,
fragrant flowers,
all the pleasures of spring and youth;
sipping kisses
from fresh lips,
lulled gently on a tender breast;
then stealing nectar
from the grapes,
dancing, games and banter:
what the senses alone
can obtain:
ah, does it ever satisfy the heart?

When moist eyes
glisten
with the gentle dew of sadness,
then, reflected in them,
the fields of heaven
are revealed to the gaze.

How refreshingly,
how swiftly
every fierce passion is quelled;
as flowers are revived
by the rain,
so do our weary spirits revive.

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Sunset over Hydra – July 2023

Deb and I have been enjoying a good stretch of time on the enchanted Greek Island of Hydra on the Saronic Gulf. We are staying at “YaYa’s” House, a small villa on top of a cliff which looks over the port below. The house is a 15-minute walk from the port, with over 240 steps to climb (we’ve counted them), but the view is worth it.

Every morning I have been working on new repertoire while Debbie works on her drawing project based on various flowers of Hydra. On a recent evening on the porch, I recorded a run through of a piece by Carlo Domeniconi titled, “Rose in the Garden.”

This piece is the 9th movement from Carlo Domeniconi’s Hommage à A. de Saint-Exupéry – a set of sonic depictions of scenes from Saint-Exupéry’s children’s book, “The Little Prince.”  The Cicadas provide a shrill chorus in the background. I understand that the Cicadas in Greece are the largest in Europe!

 
 

 

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Mauro Giuliani (1781–1829), a contemporary of Beethoven and Schubert, was a musician with a mission: to raise the recently invented (but rather quiet) six-string guitar to a level of musical prominence in a world inclined to favor ever-louder operatic, pianistic, and symphonic music.

During the years 1806–1819, while he lived in Vienna, Giuliani’s dazzling performances made him the darling of that city, whose press and public hailed him as the greatest guitarist of his generation. His guitar works, rich in chamber music, were published by the foremost Viennese publishers and widely acclaimed. Against all odds, this poor guitarist of modest south-Italian origin made a place in history for himself. He was decisive in launching the classical guitar in central Europe as a versatile instrument capable of moving and enchanting audiences when played with skill and musicianship.

This video performance of “Le Rose” is taken from Choix de Mes Fleurs Cheries, “My chosen and dear flowers,” a cycle of ten short pieces written by well-known Italian composer and guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829).

I performed this piece during a student concert at the recent Classical Guitar Corner Academy Summer School held at Endicot College in Beverly Massachusetts. I hope to post a video soon of the live performance in addition to this “studio performance.” Playing for others in a live setting is more exciting for sure!

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Here is another lyrical composition by the gifted musician, Ólafur Arnalds. The piece is entitled “Tomorrow’s Song,” from his 2011 release, “Living Room Songs.”  I have been exploring music for the classical guitar to use in liturgical settings and this piece fits quite well in that endeavor.  Thanks to Matthew Cochran for his excellent arrangement.

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This past week, I worked on a beautiful composition by the gifted musician, Ólafur Arnalds. The piece is entitled “Saman,” from an Icelandic word meaning “together.” Ólafur is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland. He incorporates strings and prepared piano with loops and natural field recordings to develop a singular sound that might, if you have to use labels, be described as ambient/atmospheric or simply, contemplative. He has composed original film scores for such TV series as “Broadchurch,” and for the Apple TV series “Defending Jacob.” To me, his music is expansive, soulful, and transcendent in nature. Great background for contemplative walks and silent prayer.

This song is part of his 2018 album: “re:member.” I have taken the basic piano arrangement and adapted it for the classical guitar. The guitar does not have a pedal mechanism as a piano to lengthen the time of sustained notes, so I chose fingerings that could best take advantage of fixed fingers and open strings. The original key is in C minor, but I think it works well in B minor with a capo on the second fret.

This video includes camera angles that show my home studio where I study, practice, and produce the performance videos I create for this web-site and YouTube channel. As an aging boomer, I am amazed by the advancement of pro-audio video and recording gear and how with a bit of determination and time, one can develop some very decent results.  Hope you enjoy it.

You can download my arrangement here.

 

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The origins of “Shenandoah,” perhaps one of America’s most recognizable folk tunes, are not easily determined. It is generally agreed that it was composed no later than the Civil War and become very popular both on land and sea.

There are a number of distinctive versions and texts that have incorporated this beautiful melody. Some believe that the song refers to the river of the same name. Others suggest that it is of African-American origin, for it tells the tale of Sally, the daughter of the Indian Chief Shenandoah, who is courted for seven years by a white Missouri river trader. No matter what text you prefer this song will remain an American classic.

The wonderful teacher/guitarist/arranger Gary Ryan who is on the academic staff of the Royal College of Music in London, has arranged a number of traditional folks songs for the classical guitar. I recently came across his arrangement of “Shenandoah” and decided to perform it for a recent workshop of the Classical Guitar Corner Academy

For those who like the technical stuff, here is the gear involved in making this video:

Cedar Double Top by Michael Thames (2022)
Augustine Imperial Red Strings
Recorded with 2 Line Audio CM4’s
Earthworks 1022 Preamp
Audient ID44
Audio edited in Reaper
Video and Audio edited in DaVinci Resolve
Filmed with Canon 90D with Sigma 18-35 Lens