Day One: Concert Zoran Dukic
My guitar teacher Robert had warmed me up for this recital in advance, so I was eagerly looking forward to this concert. I have never heard Zoran Dukic playing, which is no surprise because I usually do not travel around the world to listen to all kinds of guitar concerts.
There were a few things which stroke me during his recital.
First of all the precision of his play: I heard no squeaks, no finger noise, no unnecessary ringing of strings. At the moment I am trying to integrate these aspects of finishing touch in my play, so I am a bit aware of the extra effort and actions it takes besides playing notes. Zoran Dukic did it all, effecting the music while his extra efforts definitely did not affect the music!
The second thing was his clarity in the quiet passages. In these passages he showed himself as a true master, every single tone remained clear and transparent, without sinking in a swamp of humming noise.
Dukic’s first piece was Sonata by Antonio Jose (1902 - 1936), a challenging moderately contemporary work in four movements. The architecture and structure of the piece was nice and clear, which is perfect for a "no-further-than-neo-classics" listener like me.
Jose’s day of death (1936) plus the historical fact that the Spanish Civil War was raging in that time, gave rise to the assumption that his death was unnatural. Which is correct, because he was taken prisoner and shot by Generalissimo Franco’s rebels.
Zoran Dukic played the Sonata with a virtuoso approach and tremendously played quiet passages. Pavana Triste included a beautiful dynamic climax.
We would hear this sonata quite a few times more in this festival: apparently Jose’s composition succeeded the Sonata by Ginastera
After Jose’s masterpiece, it was over to Manuel Ponce with his Sonata Meridional. Dukic’s interpretation presented this music in beautiful warm mediterranean water colours under a Mexican sun with a decisive finishing touch in the virtuoso passages.
I knew the Romanza by Miguel Llobet which followed, because the Naxos label published a CD with all his guitar works. Despite the fact that musically Llobet lived more or less in the shadow of his teacher Francisco Tarrega, he had a characteristic romantic style. Who does not know his Catalan Folk Song arrangements? Dukic did Romanza justice: an incredibly tender performance.
After romancing there was some dancing: Scherzo Vals. An extremely virtuoso waltz with fast runs and the splendour of a Valse Brilliante by Chopin. A perfect way to start the break in high spirits!
After the break, Zoran Dukic showed an aspect of his artistry we had not experienced yet: a nice story about the music he was going to play. The programme mentioned a number of Caprichos de Goya by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, based on paintings by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya.
In his days, Goya was a social critic who incorporated a lot of social and political commitment in his work, quite unusual for his time, some say he was the first to do so. Unfortunately the subjects of his criticism, the clergy, the nobles and the rich, were not amused, so Goya spent some time in jail to think about his views, a time which severely affected his mental health. Dukic told a lively story about the paintings behind the Caprichos, which made me listen to the music much more specifically.
After listening to Dukic’s attractive and colourful interpretation, I just had to compare Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s work to another masterpiece which has Goya’s paintings as subject: Goyescas by Enrique Granados. Dukic recounted that Castelnuovo-Tedesco considered the Caprichos one of his best works. I do agree: beautiful music!
From Italy we went to Paraguay, the music by Augustin Barrios. Well, what can I say? I love this music and Zoran Dukic made this liking even better. The Caazapa was a piece I had not heard yet, a swinging dance with Latin accents.
Astor Piazzola closed the ranks with Invierno Porteno and Muerte del Angel.
It is funny, before the Twenthe Guitar Festivals I was hardly acquainted with Piazzola’s music. I knew a few loose pieces and the two CDs by Gidon Kremer with arrangements of the tangos for violin and small ensemble. Now that has changed, also caused by the skilful arrangements which succeed to catch the atmosphere of a complete tango orchestra (including Bandoneon) on one or two guitars.
This arranging skill was particularly obvious with Invierno Porteno. Well, Sergio Assad is not just anybody for a job like this. Dukic’s play became a homage to both the composer and the arranger: fiery and passionate alternating with sweet, lyrical and oh so transparent.
It was an extraordinary concert. The audience gladly expressed its appreciation with a standing ovation. Zoran Dukic returned the gesture with a tenderly played encore: Testament d’ Amalia by Miguel Llobet.
Who was this Amalia? Well, that’s the subject of a topic elsewhere on this web site.