Me Performing 20th century Classical Guitar

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:38 pm

Hi Everyone

I have decided to record some fairly recent music for the Classical Guitar.

There is a tendency for the general public to stereotype Classical music as Bach, Mozart Beethoven etc. However there has been some wonderful music much more recent than that!

Great Britain while having many pioneering composers of the renaissance period, was relatively quiet until the 20th century.

The 20th century has been the century of a second renaissance of serious western art music finding it's voice again on the British Isles. Walton, Britten, Elgar, Vaugham Williams, Sir Michael Tippett are just a hand ful of great composers that have lead the way in music the last century.

The clips I have recorded on the guitar for you to enjoy are

1. Very Agitated from Britten's Nocturnal (1963)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAFdAEif ... annel_page

2. Bagatelle no 2- William Walon (1973)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcV5e62C ... annel_page

3. Bagatelle no3- William Walton (1973)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEDB0_kb ... annel_page

Cheers

Matt

shaun@def · Post by **shaun@def** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:18 am

...As always classic classical from you Matt - (Sorry, 'Cap'n Matt'!!!)
Great work - Love the atmosphere created by the mic set up

Thanks for sharing

KInd regards
Shaun

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:34 am

Thanks Shaun

,

I think by micing the guitar up it seems to improve the sound. It is not a great camera and the tone of the Classical Guitar doesn't translate as well as a loud electric guitar through an amp.

I will be honest. The Britten is not always received well, unless people already know the piece. Walton is a different matter; people seem to warm to it much easier.
The Britten Nocturnal is a bout 18 minutes long and is a musical sleep cycle, of mainly restless sleep. It is very musically descriptive and also very cleaver as is alludes to the ultimate sleep 'death'.

The whole 18 minutes is based upon Come Heavy Sleepeth by 15th century English composer John Dowland. Britten Dowland's piece originally for lute and voice for solo guitar in the final movement.

NicDots · Post by **NicDots** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:17 pm

I love that 2nd Walton one! Especially those neat-o harmonic thingers around that 1:54 mark!
Great jams as always, Dweeby!

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:57 pm

cheers Nicole

xx

randys roadie · Post by **randys roadie** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 10:40 pm

cool work cpt matt

Cpt Matt Sparrow · Post by **Cpt Matt Sparrow** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:34 am

Damn! I am loving this Cpt Matt business me hearties

Cheers too RR

Matt