Alan Mearns Records at GSI: A Unique Approach to Classical Guitar

Our good friend Alan Mearns recently recorded three videos at GSI. Alan, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, began studying classical violin at age five before switching to guitar at ten. Moving to the U.S. in his late teens, he earned a Fletcher Scholarship at Appalachian State University and received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award at Austin Peay State University. As a classical guitarist and composer, Alan has performed and taught at major venues such as Yale University, the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and Oberlin Conservatory. His Bach recording debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Classical Chart, and his work has been featured on NPR, BBC Sounds, and YouTube influencer Rick Beato’s channel. Also an accomplished poet, Alan has presented his work, including his forthcoming collection Into the Fields, at venues like the Seamus Heaney Center in Belfast.

Alan's latest GSI recording session has made a significant impact in the classical guitar world. His performance of J.S. Bach's Chaconne (BWV 1004) garnered four times the usual views within 48 hours, marking a standout launch. Alan shares his insights on the piece, suggesting that the first minor section may have been Bach’s initial draft of the entire Chaconne due to its completeness. He posits that, if so, the work’s 33 variations could symbolize both the age of Jesus at his crucifixion and the age of Bach’s late wife, Maria Barbara. Alan humbly refers to his arrangement as the "Bach/Mearns Chaconne," emphasizing that any deviations are his own and not reflective of Bach’s intentions.

Adding to the performance’s uniqueness, Alan recorded on a 1928 Hermann Hauser I guitar, once owned by legendary guitarist Julian Bream. This historic instrument, with its unparalleled tone and legacy, enhances the depth of Alan’s masterful interpretation.

If you like this arrangement, you can purchase it here: J. S. Bach for Guitar – Alan Mearns

Alan also recorded a fantastic arrangement by Stanley Yates of La Vega by Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), one of Spain’s most celebrated composers, renowned for fusing traditional Spanish music with the sophistication of late Romanticism.

Composed around 1897, La Vega (The Meadow) reflects Albéniz's inspiration from the serene landscapes and flowing rivers of Andalusia. Originally conceived for orchestra, the work is now most often performed as a solo piano piece. Its rich harmonic language and expansive structure bear the influence of French impressionists such as Debussy and Ravel while retaining the uniquely Spanish character that defines Albéniz's music. Alan recorded this piece on the same 1928 Hauser I (ex Julian Bream) guitar.

Another of Albéniz’s most iconic compositions, Asturias (Leyenda), captures the soul of Spain, even though its connection to Asturias, a northern region of Spain, is more titular than thematic. Originally written for piano as part of his Suite Española, Op. 47, the piece has gained its greatest fame in transcription for classical guitar, where it feels most at home. Alan delivers a wonderful and unique transcription of this piece, recorded on a rare 1867 Antonio de Torres classical guitar with a spruce top and maple back and sides—a truly legendary instrument.