Raphaella SMITS

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RECORDINGS -CD ACR -CD Walter-Brouwer-Henderickx -CD Mertz-Giuliani2 -CD Spanish Folksongs -CD Legnani-Sor -CD Manjon -CD Vila-Lobos a.o. -CD Weiss-Bach -CD Sor-Coste -CD 20th Century -CD Mertz-Giuliani -LP Tedesco -LP Coste -LP Sor-Kaufmann -LP Dowland -LP Blauwe Steen

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NEDERLANDSE
VERSIE

PROGRAM

Fernando SOR (1778-1839)
1. Introduction et variations sur un thème de Mozart (Opus 9) < audio sample >
2. Fantaisie Elégiaque (Opus 59)
3. Etude Opus 6 Nš 11 (allegro moderato)
4. Etude Opus 35 Nš 22 (allegretto)
5. Etude Opus 31 Nš 12 (andante)

Napoléon COSTE (1806-1883)
6. From 'Six Pièces Originales' (Opus 53 Nš 1): "Rêverie"
7. From 'Sept Morseaux Episodiques' (Opus 23 Nš 7): "Les Soirées d'Auteuil"
8. Grande Sérénade (Opus 30)


FEATURES

artist: Raphaella Smits, guitar
titel: Fernando Sors - Napoléon Coste
composers: Fernando Sors - Napoléon Coste
label: Accent Records, BE
CD number: ACC2 9182
recorded: at Studio 1 of the Belgian Radio and Television, Brussels, BE, December 1991
instrument : 8-string guitar by John Gilbert (USA) (1980)
total duration: 61'22"
illustration: 'Pierrot playing the guitar', by Honoré Daumier


FERNANDO SOR - NAPOLEON COSTE
"matched by very few performances ... and superbly recorded" (The Grammophone)

PROGRAM
FEATURES
ABOUT THE COMPOSERS
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY


ABOUT THE COMPOSERS

Sor brought his Spanish culture to France where he spend most of his life, adding a French flavor to his compositions. Coste went on with the work of his teacher Sor respecting the Spanish school: an obvious combination.

"Two nineteenth century celebrities of the guitar. Both were virtuoso performers as well as composers and, even though there was a generation between them, their music and their carreers have a remarkable amount in common.

Sor, like Mozart, earned a good living from playing concerts, teaching and composing but, also like Mozart, he spent rather more than he earned and he too was finally given a poor man's funeral in July 1839. Sor gave his last concert one year before his death, together with his pupil Napoléon Coste.

Napoléon Coste remained faithful to Sor in his compositional style which was even more romantic. Like his master Fernando Sor, he hated the easy effects of plucking open strings and continued to treat the guitar as a fully-fledged polyphonic instrument."
Pieter Andriessen


WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY

J.D. of the <Gramophone> wrote:
"There are other currently available recordings of the works by Sor, but none that takes clear precedence over these by Raphaella Smits. The sum total of her attention to detail, sensitivity, controlled use of rubato, expressive vibrato, purity of tone and crystal-clear delivery is one which is matched by very few performances that are of the utmost refinement, character and authority, and which are superbly recorded."

Paul Fowles of the <Classical Guitar (UK)> wrote:
"This is one of the most refined recordings of the nineteenth century repertoire to reach me for some time. It is to Smits' eternal credit that she has reminded me through this recording that something worthwhile really did happen to the instrument between 1750 and 1900." 

Ellis of the <American Record Guide> wrote:
"Smits sails alone just fine. There is a felicitous pace, as if she feels the notes without her fingers, or, better yet, knows how to dance with her guitar. Pretty playing indeed."

F. Gonnelli from <Musica Classica> wrote:
"Raphaella Smits, una strumentista molto sensibile, dotata di un suono eccellente ed un fraseggio intenso e misuratissimo, ha construito una piccola e felice antologia. La registrazione è di timbro esemplare. Molto consigliabile."

André De Groeve of the <Gazet van Antwerpen> wrote:
"From the first note you're caught by Smits' playing. It's not just amazingly beautiful and correct, but she knows a lot to tell through the music. Romantic? Yes, but subtle and very convincing."

Emma Scott of the <Nieuwe Gazet> wrote:
"The development of the historical line from Sor to Coste takes place in this interpretation. That's why this disc presents a captivating evolutionary picture of sound of the 19th century guitar repertoire."

L.L. of the <Kaderblad Jeugd en Muziek> wrote:
"By means of her extremely sensitive playing, she works magic changing these compositions into real pearls thereby removing the last doubts about the possibilities of the guitar. We consider Raphaella Smits to be one of the great virtuosi of our country!"

Thierry Sterck from <Chronique CD Classique> wrote:
"Raphaella Smits nous donne, parmi le meilleur de ces deux auteurs, des pages tout imprégnées de son exquise délicatesse, de sa haute musicalité, de sa technique solide mais discrète car tout entière au service de l'art."  


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