Search - Leo Brouwer, Joaquin Clerch, Manuel Samuell :: Brouwer: La Ciudad de las Columnas; Nuevos Estudios Sencillos; Suite No. 1

Adventurous Cuban Guitar Assortment

David Conklin | Albuquerque, NM USA | 01/13/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As an intermediate-level (on a good day) guitarist, I bought this mainly for the Nuevos estudios sencillos. These 10 simple studies/etudes, published by Brouwer in 2001, are a fine addition to his 20 previous studies (which can be heard on Volume 1 of this series). I'm delighted to have recently "discovered" these wonderful compositions, which are quite interesting musically, yet accessible to the average guitar player. These new studies are as good as, if not better than, the previous ones. Graham Anthony Devine, an outstanding young English guitarist (who has spent considerable time in Latin America), performs these simple works--and the more complex pieces which comprise the majority of this disc--in fine fashion.



Included on this disc is a very early (1955) Brouwer composition (Suite No. 1), some of his most recent works, and a composition by his close friend and protege, Joaquin Clerch. Some of these pieces are "impressionistic", and, while quite beautiful, may at times sound obscure to many listeners. The 8 Contradanzas, short Cuban piano pieces (composed by Manuel Saumell) arranged for guitar by Brouwer, are a charming addition to the classical guitar canon. Overall, the assortment of pieces on this disc provides for an rather uneven listen; however, it's all very much worth hearing.

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