Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Manuel Ponce, Stjepan Sulek :: Ana Vidovic Guitar Recital

Great performance neverthless young

taka(Japanese | Tokyo, Japan | 12/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd was played by a new coming about 25 years old guitarist who was born in Croatia. Maybe in the time released this cd, she would not be 20 even. Ceatainly I tend to be interested to her cute looking, but when I listened to this cd actually, I understood that she played with the prominent techniqus so that we could not think she was a young guitarist.



I can understand her great performance when I know his history as a guitarist. She entered in music shool, Zagrev at 13 years old, and was tought by Astvan, the most famouse guitarist in Croatia, won the Sor competition in Rome, the Taregga competition and performed many recitals in counties like U.S.A, U.K, Porland and Australia etc neverthless she is young. Off course not only her solo recitals but also the peformance with orchestra. It seems that she have made many fames and results.



She is a great player as she can take such spotlight, but the selection songs in this cd is not showy songs like "La cathedral by Brios" "Sun burst by York" that young players tend to play, is occupied by songs that old guitarists tend to play, Bach, Ponce and so on. It seems that she think about classical guitar history deeply by such song selections though young.



The song rist in the cd is not always included difficult songs on technique, however even if the songs is simple, by the beautiful melodies with the sensitive finger touch to the strings, I can guess her potential techniqus. For instance, if I listen to the beautiful and high speed melodies of Bach prelude or the rythmycal play of Tarrega Danca mora, I can guess her incredible techniqus.



And her playing guitar is made in her born country, Zagrev Croatia, or the latter songs of the album is from her county. By such things, I can think that she cherishs the emotion to her born county.



Thank you for reading poor English.

"

Hear her live, she's worth it

M. Levitt - classical music buff | Philadelphia, PA | 03/30/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Ana Vidovic, in this recording, comes across as a "phenom." Exceptional technique but a guitarist who has some growing and maturing to do. Put differently, her technique exceeds her emotional grasp of the music.



About two years ago we were fortunate to hear Ana perform live at a Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society concert. She has grown tremendously. She still has a world class technique, but her playing, her grasp of the music was simply wonderful, one of the best classical guitar recitals I have heard in years. The Society's reviewer wrote of the concert: "Come back Ana, soon and often!"



Hopefully the CD reviewed here will be the first of many. Few guitarists of any age play as Ana does in this disc. She is capable of much more, and deserves the widest possible audience.

"

Remarkable young artist

B. R. Townsend | Mexico | 07/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a stunning debut recording by one of the most gifted young guitarists to appear in some time. Her technical abilities are of the highest level. Anyone that can play the Prelude to the 4th Lute Suite this briskly AND musically is above most criticism. And I have been playing the 4th Lute Suite for thirty years myself.



Now, of course Ana Vidovic has lots of room to grow aesthetically--how could it not be so, as she made this recording before she was twenty years old? For example, the Sonata Romantica suffers a bit from excess impetus. She almost never lets the music breath and in this music, hommage to Schubert as it is, expansiveness is inherent to the style. But let us also praise her choice of repertoire. She has unerringly chosen very fine pieces from the repertoire, which is not always the case. Her Walton Bagatelles are remarkable, showing a panache that we are used to hearing only from Julian Bream, for whom they were written.



One thing that Ana Vidovic has in spades is a real ear for harmonic progression--this is one of the many things that sets this recording apart from many others by those with velocity and fingers and little else.



So, my advice is to purchase this recording. I doubt very much that you will regret it and you will be hearing a lot more from this artist over the years."