By Benjamin Verderey
The Journal of the GFA, Winter, Volume XXXIII. Nos. 1-2. 2007
Apr 15, 2009
BV: First, congratulations on your CD which is exquisite and masterfully played. You must be one of the great flute and guitar duos of all times! There are several magical moments on this CD. To do an entire CD of any composer’s music is a great tribute. Can you comment on what aspect of David’s writing for your instruments you find compelling and successful?
CD: We felt very honored to have this opportunity to record David’s music. For us, his music is engaging and entrancing, and those re essential elements we need to have in order to perform our best. He knows very well the possibilities of each of our instruments.
For obvious reasons, he knows how to write for the guitar, but he doesn’t need to have any boundaries with other instruments either. He uses the instruments to his advantage, demanding perhaps really high technical abilities but always with in reach, exploring the range of dynamics and colors through well-constructed melodic phrases.
BV: Does David’s music allows greater interpretative freedom than others living composers you’ve worked with or whose music you have performed?
CD: David is usually very specific when it comes to the interpretation of his music; however from the first time we played his music, it just felt natural to do it the way he asked . It’s like finding a great friend you feel comfortable with. I believe we like his music so much that there was little space, if any, for thinking how it should sound….it just flows.
BV: To what degree did you work with the composer on this CD, and can you say if and why such a collaboration was important for you?
CD: We were lucky enough to have him as a producer for most of the recording (for the Duos), an of course that was really helpful. For us it has been important to listen to his comments to bring out the essence and soul of his music. As in every recording we have tried to get the spirit to come through on the CD. If in this recording we have succeeded, it is, in part, because of his input and inspiration.
BV: You have performed “Acrobats” for three years. What is about the work tha , although not written for you, you have made your own and that you find so enduring? Do you tell the audience the inspiration behind the work prior to performing it?
CD: We believe that if the music is good,no matter if it is written for us or not, we will feel drown to play it and that was the case with Acrobats. The first time we heard the piece we knew we wanted to play it and have it in our repertoire. For us, Acrobats, is a “must” in the flute and guitar repertoire, like Piazzolla’s “Histoire du Tango” and Takemitsu’s “Towards the sea”… It’s simply a fantastic piece of music. We love talking during our performances. When we play Acrobats,it feel natural o tell where David got the inspiration from. It makes it more interesting for the audience and creates immediately a comfortable and easy-going atmosphere, which is what we like to have when we perform.
BV: Please share with us any anecdotes concerning the audience’s reactions to any work you have performed of David’s, for example perhaps a comment from an audience
member after the recital.
CD: Acrobats has been the piece that has brought the most comments from audiences. We had people coming to tell us how much they felt the music was reaching them, when they could “feel the pain” inspired specially by the second movement, “Flashback”, and also they closed their eyes and they saw the acrobats “Up in the air” while listening the third movement. That is what is great about performing good music, getting people inspired!
BV: Thanks so much and congratulations again on such inspirational CD.
The Journal of the GFA, Winter, Volume XXXIII. Nos. 1-2. 2007
Apr 15, 2009
BV: First, congratulations on your CD which is exquisite and masterfully played. You must be one of the great flute and guitar duos of all times! There are several magical moments on this CD. To do an entire CD of any composer’s music is a great tribute. Can you comment on what aspect of David’s writing for your instruments you find compelling and successful?
CD: We felt very honored to have this opportunity to record David’s music. For us, his music is engaging and entrancing, and those re essential elements we need to have in order to perform our best. He knows very well the possibilities of each of our instruments.
For obvious reasons, he knows how to write for the guitar, but he doesn’t need to have any boundaries with other instruments either. He uses the instruments to his advantage, demanding perhaps really high technical abilities but always with in reach, exploring the range of dynamics and colors through well-constructed melodic phrases.
BV: Does David’s music allows greater interpretative freedom than others living composers you’ve worked with or whose music you have performed?
CD: David is usually very specific when it comes to the interpretation of his music; however from the first time we played his music, it just felt natural to do it the way he asked . It’s like finding a great friend you feel comfortable with. I believe we like his music so much that there was little space, if any, for thinking how it should sound….it just flows.
BV: To what degree did you work with the composer on this CD, and can you say if and why such a collaboration was important for you?
CD: We were lucky enough to have him as a producer for most of the recording (for the Duos), an of course that was really helpful. For us it has been important to listen to his comments to bring out the essence and soul of his music. As in every recording we have tried to get the spirit to come through on the CD. If in this recording we have succeeded, it is, in part, because of his input and inspiration.
BV: You have performed “Acrobats” for three years. What is about the work tha , although not written for you, you have made your own and that you find so enduring? Do you tell the audience the inspiration behind the work prior to performing it?
CD: We believe that if the music is good,no matter if it is written for us or not, we will feel drown to play it and that was the case with Acrobats. The first time we heard the piece we knew we wanted to play it and have it in our repertoire. For us, Acrobats, is a “must” in the flute and guitar repertoire, like Piazzolla’s “Histoire du Tango” and Takemitsu’s “Towards the sea”… It’s simply a fantastic piece of music. We love talking during our performances. When we play Acrobats,it feel natural o tell where David got the inspiration from. It makes it more interesting for the audience and creates immediately a comfortable and easy-going atmosphere, which is what we like to have when we perform.
BV: Please share with us any anecdotes concerning the audience’s reactions to any work you have performed of David’s, for example perhaps a comment from an audience
member after the recital.
CD: Acrobats has been the piece that has brought the most comments from audiences. We had people coming to tell us how much they felt the music was reaching them, when they could “feel the pain” inspired specially by the second movement, “Flashback”, and also they closed their eyes and they saw the acrobats “Up in the air” while listening the third movement. That is what is great about performing good music, getting people inspired!
BV: Thanks so much and congratulations again on such inspirational CD.