The Guitarist John Williams

by Williams,John

Overview

THE GUITARIST could be described as a record of brooding reflection and pastoral solitude with echoes of ancient Greece a recurrent motif. It also demonstrates that one can plan a wonderfully varied yet coherent guitar recital without recourse to the usual Bach transcriptions and Spanish chestnuts. No one is better equipped to do this than John Williams. As much an ambassador of the guitar as a player, he puts his commitment to new music for the instrument to good use here, the major dividend being the 'Koyunbaba' of Italian composer Carlo Domeniconi. Inspired by Turkish themes and landscapes, the four-movement suite employs an unusual C sharp minor tuning to haunting, original effect. The 'Stele' of Australian Phillip Houghton are moody evocations of the Greek coastline and ancient monuments to gods, demons and sailors lost at sea, while the 'Epitafios' of Mikis Theodorakis eulogize the more recently departed with the direct simplicity of folk music. Rounded off with a suite of medieval tunes and a particularly successful arrangement of Satie's third 'Gymnopedie,' THE GUITARIST leads one down a darker, less traveled road full of drama and beauty.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/30/2003
Label:	Sony Classical
UPC:	0827969039922
Rank:	8355

Tracks

1. Epitaphs (8) for guitar (arr. by Yianni Iliopoulis from song cycle)~Epitafios 3
2. Epitaphs (8) for guitar (arr. by Yianni Iliopoulis from song cycle)~Epitafios 4
3. Epitaphs (8) for guitar (arr. by Yianni Iliopoulis from song cycle)~Epitafios 5
4. Koyunbaba, suite for guitar, Op. 19~part 1
5. Koyunbaba, suite for guitar, Op. 19~part 2
6. Koyunbaba, suite for guitar, Op. 19~part 3
7. Koyunbaba, suite for guitar, Op. 19~part 4
8. Gymnopedie for piano No. 3
9. Lamento di Tristano, estampie
10. Ductiae
11. Saltarellos 1-4 (GB-LBl Add.29987)
12. Aeolian Suite, for guitar & small orchestra~1. Aeolian Chant
13. Aeolian Suite, for guitar & small orchestra~2. Double Dance
14. Aeolian Suite, for guitar & small orchestra~3. Ballad
15. Aeolian Suite, for guitar & small orchestra~4. Toccata
16. St¿¿l¿¿ for guitar~1. St¿¿l¿¿
17. St¿¿l¿¿ for guitar~2. Dervish
18. St¿¿l¿¿ for guitar~3. Bronze Apollo
19. St¿¿l¿¿ for guitar~4. Web
20. Gnossienne for piano No. 1
21. Gnossienne for piano No. 2
22. Recuerdos de la Alhambra, for guitar
23. Mallorca, barcarola for piano in F sharp minor, Op. 202, B. 41
24. Core 'ngrato (Catari), for voice & orchestra

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Williams   Primary Artist,Guitar
William Goodchild   Conductor
Benedict Cruft   Orchestra Leader

Technical Credits

Matt Palmer   Technician
Mike Ross-Trevor   Mixing,Engineer
Isobel Griffiths   Orchestra Contractor
Joel Zimmerman   Art Direction
John Williams   Producer,Liner Notes,Unknown Contributor Role
Giulio Turturro   Series Design
Andy Granger   Technical Assistance
Josee Begaud   Liner Note Translation
Roy Emerson   Producer
Jennifer Wyler   Engineer
Lorenzo Agius   Photography
Matthew Cocker   Mastering
Marc Offenbach   Series Concept
Eva Reisinger   Liner Note Translation
David L. Montgomery   Photography
Michael Stavrou   Producer
Traditional   Composer