Nadia Kossinskaja GUITAR DREAMS

GUITAR DREAMS

Nils Mönkemeyer BAROQUE

Finally after all these years of reviews, I have a virtuosic viola album to review! The ‘King of Instruments’ (as it has been dubbed in certain circles), is often the considered the poor cousin to the violin but it has a beautifully resonant tone and this depth of sound makes it pleasing to the ears at all times. This beautiful collection of pieces from the Baroque era shows off the German virtuoso Nils Mönkemeyer’s technical and musical capabilities without ever making these difficult works sound even remotely challenging.

Many viola soloists can find it awkward to put together a full concert or album of works all originally written for viola so in the tradition of Bach himself, the J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 5 has been rearranged for viola and theorbo. Now before you go running for the hills scared of what a theorbo is – it’s just a lovely sounding, though extremely complicated kind of guitar or lute.

The opening work is by the relatively unknown Robert de Visée (from the courts of French kings Louis XIV and XV), and is simply delightful! The three short movements start off with such French flair, that there is an interesting contrast to Bach’s now famous contrapuntal style (more than one melodic idea at the same time) which follows directly. Then another interlude of French Baroque, with some Michel Lambert (whose daughter went on to become the wife of the famous Jean-Baptiste Lully) before finishing with more Bach. Although Mönkemeyer has recorded a number of albums in the past, this is the first time that I have heard him perform and I will be searching through his back catalogue as I so enjoyed this lovely album. (Kate Rockstrom)

David Tanenbaum plays WEISS

David Tanenbaum is one of the most important performers of contemporary classical guitar music. He has a special liking for recording older music with the guitar. Silvius Leopold Weiss, a contemporary of Bach, was the most important lutenist of the Baroque era. The repertoire on this CD is drawn from the London manuscripts, which were written between 1708 and 1724. Tanenbaum’s recording on the guitar offers complete respect to this wonderful 18th-century music. Once again, the master guitarist from the USA gives proof of his impeccable technique and his ability to produce a perfect interpretation in the service of his repertoire. The result is a CD full of calm and strength, imbued with the power of a by-gone age.

Lee Santana BACH - SANTANA - WEISS A Song Of Divine Love

Lee Santana was born into a musicians family in Florida at the end of the baby-boomer era. Into his youth he played a lot of jazz-rock music, and a little classical on the side, from the age of 16 on, classical music grew on him. As a boomer-anything is possible- youth, his role models went from fusion composer-players to classical composer-players. As a guitarist-lutenist these role models became earlier and earlier and has rested in a life long dynamic discussion with player-composers of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. 

    In order to better ,follow his star‘, Santana moved to Europe in 1984. There he met the gamba virtuose  Hille Perl, and an intense creative process began which continues to evolve thirty years later. 

    After many journeyman‘s years, working for many of the best ensembles, conductors and soloists, Lee has become the projector of his own concepts and plans, working as soloist or with Hille, or with their groups The Age of Passions, Los Otros or Sirius Viols. As a team, Hille and Lee also enjoy working with their friends Dorothee Mields and Maurice Steger.

 As a composer, Lee is presently concerned with a large Requiem for the Nuclear Age, as well as music for a video/performance "Love’s Beginnings" which will be shown in Feldkirch Austria next year. Stylistically, he has taken his own path, refusing to bog down in the expectations and clichés of the post modern „new“ music movement.

    His forthcoming solo CD is entitled "A Song of Divine Love" and is a kind of extended light-meditation, with works from J.S.Bach,Lee Santana und S.L.Weiß. His present work reflects a growing conviction in the fundamental goodness and interconnectedness of just about everything, and a deep gratitude for the privilege of music making, and for the love and support of family and friends.