Those who have studied both the classical guitar and another
instrument to concert standard, generally agree that the guitar
is harder to learn. Similarly those who teach both the guitar
and other stringed instruments find that students’ progress
on the guitar is slower.
This may explain in part why guitarists, as a group, are often
inferior musicians to their stringed-instrument counterparts.
Of necessity there is inordinate emphasis on the development
of technique which is sometimes viewed as an end, rather than
a means to one.
The music of Francisco Tarrega is guitar repertory that requires
significant interpretive skills. Sometimes referred to the ‘Chopin
of the Guitar’, much of his music reflects strong elements
of the musical era to which he belonged. Tarrega wrote some immortal
works for the guitar, specializing in miniatures. These are often
exquisitely musical and very technically demanding studies in
the guise of preludes.
The review disc programme comprises a good cross-section of Tarrega’s
original music and works that he arranged for the guitar. The
latter are invariably music of contemporaries and popular music
of the day; however J.S. Bach did not escape his attention despite
what Andrés Segovia would have us believe. Rather than
play available original works for the guitar, Tarrega preferred
to play his own compositions, and arrangements that he made from
non-guitar sources.
Michael Erni gained a degree in teaching music and a Masters
degree in performance from the Zurich Conservatory. He pursued
post-graduate studies at the Conservatory of Berne where he received
a Master of Arts in specialized music performance. Further studies
with guitar included tutelage by Andrés Segovia and Pepe
Romero. He has also composed three guitar concertos and a quintet
for guitar and strings.
It is obvious from the outset that Michael Erni is another keen
contender for ‘fastest gun in the west.’ Where the
score affords any opportunity, the music is executed at break-neck
speed. There are even occasions when the score is amended to
accommodate more exhibitionism of speed. That Mr. Erni has a
well developed technique will be quickly recognized, however
there are times when even he fails cogently to navigate particularly
challenging passages in the music at the tempo initiated. The
phrasing is erratic and on occasion the music begins to sound
more like flamenco falsetas than the music of Tarrega.
Erni’s tremolo is played with the smoothness of a virtuoso,
but the imagery that Tarrega so exquisitely conveyed in
Recuerdos
da la Alhambra is totally compromised in preference to ‘first
over the line.’
He manages to execute the task in 4:37. A very empathetic interpretation
by Karin Schaupp -
Evocation: Warner Music Australia, 8573833112-
has a playing time of 5:19.
Tarrega’s arrangement of Alard’s violin study (7)
is very difficult to play well; the technical demands are considerable
and the piece, marked
allegro moderato, is most comfortable
in the hands of a virtuoso. On this occasion the beautiful flowing
melody line suffers apropos an unrealistically fast tempo. It
is periodically dislodged and slowed to accommodate difficult
measures in the music. Full credit to Mr. Erni for those passages
where it seems everyone else slurs; he plays the notes individually.
This time his record run is 2:06 - even
with the extra
notes. A far more musical version - albeit appropriately slower
at 2:12 - is that by David Russell on
Opera tres, CDS
1003/4.
The arrangements by Tarrega fare no better. The beguiling
Ave
Maria (19) gives the illusion that it is ’squeezed
in‘ right at the end, despite lack of available space on
the disc.
The repertory on this recording is a treasure trove of music
for the guitar. Unfortunately, in the context of this performance,
it remains a ‘hidden chest.’
Zane Turner
see also review by Jonathan
Woolf
Michael Erni (guitar) 
