CHOPIN: Nocturne No2 in Eb Major Op9 No2: MOZART : Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K331 'Alla Turca' a) Andante Grazioso b) Rondo Alla Turca: MENDELSSOHN: Gondola Veneciana: SAGRERAS : Maria Luisa; El Colibri ( The Hummingbird) : SCHUMANN: Kinderszenen Op15 a) Traumerei b) Von Fremen Landern und Menschen: BACH: Partita for Solo Flute in A Minor, BMW 1013: Allemande ; Variation Goldberg No. 19 in A Major, BWV 988 ; Suite for Lute in C Minor, BMW 997: I. Prelude.
Kaare Norge
Home produced: Cat. No. 585679
Danish guitarist Kaare Norge is well – known for his many performances and recordings, and in this recording he begins with a Nocturne by Chopin, which I found a little surprising because this composer’s music is so pianistic that I have never found it workable on the guitar, but I was willing to be convinced that he had found some way to put all the pianistic arpeggios and runs on the guitar. Unfortunately I was disappointed to find that a lot of his chords and what would have been left hand arpeggios etc, were simply not correct. Yes, he put a lot of the correct chords in, but just not in the places that they would have been on the piano, which meant that he had to compromise exactly what he put down, and therefore that would be enough for me to ditch the idea completely. Also he did a number of things with the tempo in a few places that would not have happened on the piano. So.....not a good start, for me at least. His playing technique is exceptional, as you might expect, but I just didn’t approve of the way he changed the piece to make it work on our guitar, for the thing is, it simply doesn’t!
Although the two movements from Mozart’s famous piano sonata worked a fair amount better, I noticed several similar things here, and so started to feel that he simply didn’t mind altering notes and rhythms as if he considered that an OK thing to do. Well, I don’t unfortunately, so I was less than enamoured with the opening tracks here.
The Mendelssohn that followed was lovely and much better all round. It is a lovely piece of writing and fits beautifully on the guitar. Then we find two beautiful pieces from that wonderful guitar composer Julio Sagreras, whose tutor books are really good and are used by me every week with my pupils. His pieces are equally clever and musical; and full of great moments of musicality, El Colibri being one of the most demanding pieces of fast writing that you will ever find.
The two pieces of piano music from Robert Schumann are great pieces, starting with Traumerei , which many including the great Agustin Barrios have arranged previously. This version here is fine. The second piece from Kinderszenen, Von Fremen Landern und Menschen is a nice performance if a tiny bit slower than I have sometimes heard it played.
The CD closes with three pieces from the great J.S. Bach, which all require and indeed get a wonderful technique to make them work on the guitar. They open with the Allemande from the solo flute Partita in Am, not perhaps as well known as some of his other solo instrumental works. Then we get one variation from the huge Goldberg Variations, which is jumpy and deliberately staccato in many places.The final track is perhaps the most well – known of the final three, the Prelude from the Lute Suite in Cm, which gets a fine performance from Kaare.
So there you have it. The recordings are very clear and close, and the playing is absolutely first – rate, but I personally didn’t like the Chopin and Mozart arrangements at all, but in the end, you are the ones who make that decision, and so, do give this recital a listen if the repertoire appeals to you!
Chris Dumigan
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