The Guitar in 19th Century Vienna

Douglas James, guitar

Alix Goolden Performance Hall
September 15, 2006

By Martin Monkman

Douglas James' programme gave a sparkling view of the guitar in 19th century Vienna, with nary a flamenco flourish to be seen. James employed a period guitar (built in c.1850) of the modest dimensions of the day, but equipped with four additional bass strings that permit an extension to the instrument's lowest range.

The first half of the concert featured three pieces by Giuliani, an expatriate Italian who spent much of his life in Vienna. The first piece was the delicate "La Rose", Op.46, #9. This was followed by Giuliani's Opus 107, a set of variations on Handel's famous "Harmonious Blacksmith" theme. Both these Giuliani pieces permitted James to demonstrate his instrument's capacity to produce a variety of tonal shadings. And although the dynamic range of the period guitar is even more limited than the modern instrument, James used dynamics to great effect.

The next two pieces were, to my ears, the musical highlights of the evening. Regondi's "Nocturne Reverie" Op.19 is a wonderful piece of Romantic emotion, one that brings to mind the best of Chopin. With its lengthy tremolo passages, it requires a deft touch - one that James most certainly demonstrated. This was followed by another set of variations by Giuliani, the Opus 110 "Variations on a March by Cherubini". As James pointed out in his spoken remarks, the third variation could easily stand on its own.

The second half of the concert was devoted to the music of Johann Kaspar Mertz, a Hungarian who also lived and worked in Vienna. James opened with two Baroque-flavoured pieces, an arrangement of an organ fugue by Albrechtsberger (best remembered today as Beethoven's composition teacher), and Mertz's own Praeludium. This was followed by two Nocturnes that again showed Chopin's influence on the music of the day.

James finished the programme with what is perhaps the least musical of the pieces, Mertz's Fantasie Hongroise Op.65 #1. This is a dazzling showcase of technique that frankly has never convince me - and unfortunately James, in spite of playing it brilliantly, didn't change my mind. But for an encore, James returned to the stage and performed a third Mertz Nocturne

This was an altogether charming evening of guitar music, with Douglas James giving a very refined performance.

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Last modified: Mon Sep 18 10:09:38 PDT 2006