All of the music on this disc was recorded for Columbia Records between 1964 and 1970 for release on four different LP albums. These are those albums:
COLUMBIA RECORDS PRESENTS JOHN WILLIAMS (1964)
VIRTUOSO MUSIC FOR GUITAR (1965)
MORE VIRTUOSO MUSIC FOR GUITAR (1967)
JOHN WILLIAMS PLAYS SPANISH MUSIC (1970)
This compilation is something of a classic of acoustic guitar playing. John Williams’ virtuoso technique and talent for bringing forth a wide swathe of sounds from the guitar make it immediately obvious why it has this reputation.
Certain moments astound. For example, a passage at the end of Manuel De Falla’s “The Miller’s Dance” (track10) left me agog. Williams is able to delineate and fully play both melody and accompaniment using different timbres for each. My guess is that he was using his left hand to play the arpeggio accompaniment on the fretboard while with the same hand dampening the strings for the melody in the treble. Very impressive.
Williams is a cerebral player; he doesn’t bring passion and drama to the music. His style is about different timbres and precision. The disc opens with what is probably the single most famous piece for classical guitar, “Asturias” by Isaac Albeniz. Williams presents a fine performance, but it doesn’t have the wild Flamenco passion others bring to the music. Instead it is precise and planned and impeccably articulated. The sole item by a non-Spanish author, the Brazilian Hector Villa-Lobos’ 4th Prelude (track 19), also deserves mention as one of the strongest parts of the disc. The Prelude calls for a variety of different touches, including some high “martellato” touches brilliantly done by Williams.
The collection includes everything from Renaissance and Baroque to postwar compositions. The content is uneven. I found tracks such as “El Colilbri” and those by Manual De Falla not all that interesting musically. Another drawback this release has is insufficient documentation about the sessions themselves. It’s clear from how it sounds that Albeniz’s “Cordoba” (track 15) was recorded at a different time than some of the others. Whatever its provenance, I found “Cordoba” to be one of the disc’s highlights, amply displaying Williams’ tremendous gifts. The music is presented with a wide range of timbres and articulations, reaching from the bottom to the top of the instrument’s range, all done with exacting precision.
The sound engineering is generally very good, important for a performer like Williams. Williams’ art isn’t for those who insist on passion and emotion in their playing, but he is justly renowned for his technique and the different sounds he elicits from the guitar. A memorable recording. Highly recommended. (by jt52)
Personnel:
John Williams (guitar)
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English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Groves (on 06. + 18.)
Tracklist:
01. Asturias (Albéniz) .20
02. Tango (Albéniz) 2.49
03. Canarios (Sanz) 1.23
04. Fandango (Rodrigo) 3.45
05. Nocturno (Torróba) 3.32
06. El Colibri (Sagreras) 1.14
07. Sonata In D (Albéniz) 3.13
08. The Corregidor’s Dance (de Falla) 1.49
09. Fisherman’s Song (de Falla) 2.29
10. The Miller’s Dance (de Falla) 2.21
11. Madroños (Torróba) 2.47
12. La Nit De Nadal (Traditional) 1.11
13. El Noy De La Mare (Traditional) 2.27
14. La Maya De Goya (Granados) 3.43
15. Cordoba (Albéniz) 6.43
16. Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Tárrega) 3.33
17. Spanish Dance No. 5 (Granados) 4.21
18. El Testamen de Amelia (Traditiional) 2.13
19. Prelude No. 4 In E Minor (Villa-Lobos) 3.26
20. Sevilla (Albéniz) 4.32
21. Homanaje (de Falla) 3.32
22. Fantasía (Mudarra) 1.43
23. Fandanguillo, Op. 36 (Turina) 4.40
John Christopher Williams, OBE (born 24 April 1941) is an Australian virtuosic classical guitarist renowned for his ensemble playing as well as his interpretation and promotion of the modern classical guitar repertoire. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award in the Best Chamber Music Performance category with fellow guitarist Julian Bream for Julian and John (Works by Lawes, Carulli, Albéniz, Granados). Guitar historian Graham Wade has said: “John is perhaps the most technically accomplished guitarist the world has seen.” (by wikipedia)
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