Virtuoso technique

1:38pm Friday 25th April 2008

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CRAIG Ogden is a name to rank alongside Segovia, John Williams and Julian Bream in the hierarchy of classical guitarists.

His recital at The Courtyard on Thursday was a phenomenal demonstration of virtuoso technique and contrasting styles. Beginning with two lute pieces by Dowland, Ogden explained to the audience how Renaissance lute music could be performed on a modern guitar by making certain adjustments to the strings; and he compensated for the shortage of guitar music in the Classical era by playing Fernando Sor’s ingenious Variations on a theme by Mozart and a Grand Overture by Mauro Giuliani.

Three pieces by the Brazilian composer Villa-Lobos were supreme examples of both the composer’s astonishing inventiveness and of the player’s technical assurance; both here and in three Piazzolla tangos the textures of piano music and the orchestral score were brought to mind. From the present century we heard a Habanera by Paul Coles and an eisteddfod prize-winning piece by Wyn Pearson.

A welcome feature of Ogden’s presentation was the always interesting information he imparted about his two instruments, though he did not think to tell us that Giuliani was not only a prolific composer for the guitar but also played the cello in the first performance of Beethoven's seventh symphony.