This release of three 20th century works for solo guitar should come as good news for those of us tired of guitar albums that focus on Villa-Lobos and Rodrigo. Soloist Dale Kavanagh (who has recorded pieces by both Rodrigo and Villa-Lobos), has made it a point to take on non-traditional guitar works both on her recordings and in her concerts. Gathered here are Variations After an Anatolian Folk Song by Carlo Domeniconi (b. 1947), Folia de España by Manuel-Maria Ponce (1882-1948), and Nocturnal by Benjamin Britten. If these composers have one thing in common (at least regarding their writing for guitar), it’s that they employ various Baroque techniques. This allows for a much cleaner (and clearer) enunciation of musical ideas. This also has the effect of stripping away any Romantic dolorousness, especially the kind found in both Villa-Lobos and Rodrigo.
None of these works requires any extreme prolixity, but it’s clear that Kavanagh can handle very difficult passages. The middle sections of Ponce’s Variations highlight this. In fact, throughout these works Kavanagh reveals at least two performance strengths: her light touch, and her remarkable left-hand control. She never attacks this music, she’s never showy or dramatic, and only occasionally do her finger “slides” allow the strings to squeak. It’s almost as if she doesn’t want to attract attention to the performer–only the music matters. And thanks to Kavanagh’s outstanding performing technique, interpretive skill, and the warm, detailed sound, all guitar enthusiasts can delightedly join her in this refresingly original concert. [11/21/2000]
