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In Scott Theatre the 'magic' of Guitarists
Odair Assad and Sergio
The Fort Worth Classic Guitar Society opened its '2006-07' season
with a two-for-one special on the performers, not the tickets.
Brazilian guitarists Odair Assad and Sergio doubled the pleasure
of an audience of about 260 at Scott Theatre with an impeccably
rendered, globe-trotting program that allowed the brothers
to dip frequently into their seemingly bottomless bag of virtuosic
tricks.
The concert opened in France with a quartet of transcriptions
of harpsichord pieces by Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau.
The rapid interplay between the pair on Le rappel des oiseaux
was probably the highlight of that set.
The next stop was back in Brazil with two very different
works by Hector Villa-Lobos -- the first an easy samba or
tango-like number and the second an introspective, almost
dreamy piece that also had impressively animated moments.
No guitar recital would be complete without Spanish music,
and the duo found a work from that country that was actually
composed for two guitars, the only piece on the program that
could make that claim. The Tonadilla para dos guitarras was
a definitive example of Joaquin Rodrigo's style. There was
no mistaking it for anyone else's work.
That was the crowd pleaser of the evening -- until the next
work. Tyyhhiia li Ossoulina, a work by Sergio Assad that,
he admitted, even he cannot pronounce, celebrated the music
of his Lebanese heritage. The piece charmed and delighted
with its extensive use of percussion (the guitars were often
used as bongos in this work) and exotic themes.
The program for the concert's second half featured a pair
of pieces from Argentina's Astor Piazzolla and three from
contemporary composers. Among this latter group, Infancia
by Brazilian Egberto Gismonti was the most satisfying in the
way it captured the wonder of childhood.
The other pieces on the bill were not quite as user friendly,
but they were superbly played. But like the works in the first
half, they were performed as if the brothers were sharing
a single guitar.
So it was a fine start for this organization's season. But
it might be a bit of a letdown to have only one guitarist
at the next concert. The Assads will spoil you pretty quickly.
Source: dfw.com
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