Batucada - South American Guitar Music
Graham Anthony Devine (guitar)
rec. 2019, Holy Trinity Church, Weston, UK
NAXOS 8.574337 {55:31]
This CD is rather easy to review. After audition, only one word is necessary to describe all aspects of it: exemplary. For readers who may feel ‘dudded’ by a one-word review, the ensuing detail will explain and support that taciturn assessment.
Born in England, Graham Anthony Devine began his musical studies at the Chetham’s School of Music with Gordon Crosskey. At age 19 he relocated to Brazil where he lived for almost a decade, giving recitals and master classes in South America. In 2002 Devine was First Prize winner in the famed Alhambra Competition, Alcoy, Spain. In that same year he also won the Emilio Pujol Competition in Italy. No other British guitarist has ever won either competition. He is currently Head of Guitar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London. Devine is also director of the Royal Greenwich Guitar Festival.
Devine has a huge repertory which includes music from the renaissance to most 20th century works written for the guitar. The present disc is one of nine he has made with Naxos that demonstrate interpretive excellence in this wide repertory. The programme for this recording centres on South America; the music chosen is described as: ‘a kaleidoscopic array of styles unified by the universal voice of the guitarr’, South America’s national instrument. Composers represented include the famous Astor Piazzolla, and Agustin Barrios, also those more obscure outside their own country, such as Cacho Tirao, Edu Lobo, Juan Buscaglia, and Carlos Guastavino. Guitarist will immediately recognize the names of Antonio Carrillo, Isaίas Sávio and Dilermando Reis. An obvious omission is Antonio Lauro.
A key potential challenge for guitarists not born in this part of the world, is the unique rhythms embodied in the music The great Alirio Díaz demonstrated absolute mastery of this aspect of South American guitar music, personified probably nowhere better than in the renditions of music by Lauro and Barrios. In this recital by Devine we hear music from the genres of Milonga, Choros and Venezuelan Waltz. The disc’s title, Batucada refers to an African-influenced Brazilian percussive style, and is a substyle of Samba. If one had to select a single treasure from this recording, Antonio Carrillo’s Como llora una estrella (As a star weeps), dedicated to his future wife, is musically conspicuous. Consolidating that choice is the words to the music by the poet Vivas Toledo, made famous by singer Mario Antonio Muniz.
Memories of yesterday that was passion,
The soft twinkle that I saw yesterday
In your sweet look I felt your love,
Your Angelic face, April Rose
Graham Anthony Devine has been described as ‘one of the most outstanding guitarists of his time’, and with every justification. This recording not only demonstrates fine musicianship with all that entails, but also a refined and thoroughly developed technical facility.
While it obviously does not appear on this recording, probably the best recorded example of his all-round excellence is the Aria from Die Seele ruht in Jesu Händen by J.S. Bach (BWV 127), arranged for guitar by Devine. As one listener observed: ‘he really knows how to find the soul of the music, and put it on beautiful display’. The arrangement is superb and the execution complementary in every way. It can be readily found on social media.
The national instrument of South America is the guitar, and many fine indigenous guitarists have made major contributions to its repertory. Other treasures have been identified by guitarists and accordingly transcribed. That initiative is well represented here by the music of Fernando Bustamante, Antonia Carrillo and Astor Piazzolla. With the same reach as that encompassing Bach and Maurice Ohana (1914-92), Devine plays this South American repertory with much understanding, affinity and immaculate attention to every dimension of execution. On this recording he employs two different instruments: Otto Rauch and Graham Emes (Reis, Laurenz). Not provided with this information, the transition between the two instruments would be challenging to discern: such is the price of excellence. Of greater priority is the music, and how Devine plays it. One word is most apt in describing this fine recording: exemplary.
Zane Turner
Contents
Fernando BUSTAMANTE (1915-1970)
Misionera [2:38]
Cacho TIRAO (1941-2007)
Milonga de Don Taco [2:51]
Eduardo de Goes ‘Edu’ LOBO (b.1943)
Beatriz [3:32]
Isaias ALVARADO
El Tragalochas [1:47]
Antonio CARRILLO (1892-1962)
Como llora una estrella [4:05]
Agustin BARRIOS (1885-1944)
Maxixe [2:29]
La catedral [7:26]
Isaίas SÁVIO (1900-1977)
Batucada [2:33]
Cajita de musica [2:20]
Dilermando REIS (1916-1977)
Tempo de criança, Choro [2:19]*
Carlos GUASTAVINO (1912-2000)
Guitar Sonata No 2 [12:17]
Astor PIAZZOLLA (1921- 1992)
La Ultima Grela [3:54]
Pablo ESCOBAR (1900-1970)
Chopi, Danza paraguaya [3:19]
Pedro LAURENZ (1902-1972)
Milonga de mis amores [1:45]
Juan BUSCAGLIA (1893-1958)
Milonga, Floreos et Preludio Criollo [1:46]
*World premiere recording
