92nd St Y Art of the Guitar Series

[Libre]

First concert of the series is tonight (Oct 13, 2007) - I subscribed to the whole series.
Not even sure who's playing tonight - might be Asad Bros - I'll let it be a surprise.
Anybody else going?

[cgram@adelphia.net]

I wish. That sounds great, I've always wanted to see the Assads. Be sure to let us know how they are.

[Libre]

It was the Assads.
Sounded okay - I didn't care much for the program though.
First 2 sets were good - Rameau was first and then a set of Scarlatti. Downhill after that.
Crowd was pretty behind them - but only got them out for 1 encore. Most of us had had enough.
You (cgram) probably would have dug it - as I believe you're into contemporary guitar music - I'm not. Lot of pieces slaping the soundboard and playing plinky notes way up beyond the fingerboard. Definitely not my cup of tea.

[rpmuldoon]

I very much liked the delicacy with which they played the Rameau Pieces de clavecin and the Scarlatti sonatas (K96, K466, K141) and I was impressed by the way they handled the interplay in the earthier Villa-Lobos A Lenda do Caboclo and Choros No. 5. Post intermission, they played Piazzola's Bandoneon and Invierno Porteno and two Jobim pieces (all of which my wife loved). More humor, more interaction, more passion, I thought, in the second half of the program, all very appropriate to the music.

I enjoyed the seven miniatures written for the concert by Gismonti; there was a lot of call/response and rhythmic play that I thought the Assads handled very well. They got the piece three weeks ago ... remarkable what they did with it for the premier. I'd love to hear it again.

Overall, I wasn't at all disappointed by the program or the performance. These guys are so "together" rhythmically and dynamically, it's ridiculous ...

[Libre]

Whatever happened to Presti and LaGoya? Oh that's right, they died.