plays Sergio Assad Solo Guitar Works
[CD]
musical production and liner notes by Sergio Assad
studio and technical production by Dean Kamei
Also available via download or stream at cdbaby or your favorite site
"This disc has three elements that make it a truly outstanding guitar recording: a brilliant idea, superb playing, and professional caliber production. I must applaud Alieksey Vianna on seeing the need and potential for creating the first disc containing a complete account of Sergio Assad's solo guitar works, thus making this CD essential to any guitar aficionado's reference collection. Vianna deserves further praise, as he was also able to recognize that Assad's works, unlike those of many other composers, are unique in that as a whole they amount to a remarkably diverse collection of compositions. None of this would have mattered much, however, if it were not for Vianna's impeccable guitar playing which is delivered with the rare balance of poise, grace, and raw emotion. Vianna has conceived a recording that not only compiles for guitarists a much-needed collection of Assad's highly distinct works but also offers striking music accessible to all guitar music listeners. My highest recommendation." - Timothy Smith, Minor 7th
"This is an exquisite album!" - Randy Morse, "The Best of Brazil" KZUM 89.3 FM
"Alieksey Vianna is at once passionate and cool - like the best of jazz musicians. The instrument never leaves his control...power permeates every second of his recording of Sergio Assad's music.
Having seen him perform the Aquarelle on many occasions, it was great joy to find his performance captured here. It is in his Aquarelle, surprisingly, that one sees him at his most sensitive. In the second movement some players (I include myself here) affect a maudlin tone - but not Vianna - with a mastery of tempo, one which the finest performers exhibit in their slowest performances., we hear a simple piece, played simply perfectly.
The difficulty in Assad's music lies in its perpetual motion, an element which often obscures its musical depth. Vianna's masterful interpretation of the Sonata, which serves as the most complex performance on the disc, shows how essential a deep interpretation can be. Without Vianna's clear characterization of the mordant figures, harmonic-laden, chordal themes and Vivaldi-esque closing figures - these three movements might sound hopelessly episodic. On close examination, they clearly are not and through Vianna's prism one can see the constituent colors of a remarkable piece.
Though the disc often wanders, as in the Fantasia Carioca and Jobiniana No. 3 (the latter felt like a Brazilian Rossiniana - in all respects), one can't fault either player or composer for indulging a bit too much in atmosphere, especially when it is created so completely and executed so attentively. To put it simply - you will find no more passionate or perfect performance of Assad's solo music anywhere." - Anthony Hull, Guitarra Magazine
"...eminently likeable, beautifully crafted works...Vianna plays them with an infectious energy. Vianna has just the right rhythmic sensibility for this music: his playing is both tight and flexible." - Rings, American Record Guide
"Throughout, Vianna plays with rich tone, rhythmic intensity, and a technical facility that promise a bright future." - Mark Small, Acoustic Guitar Magazine
"Sergio Assad's works are becoming staples of the repertoire. Alieksey Vianna's recording makes it clear why this is so. Vianna plays brilliantly throughout the disc, the authenticity of which is assured by having the composer in the role of producer as well. Vianna's tone is beautiful and he is very well recorded here." - Albert Kunze, Soundboard Magazine
"Alieksey Vianna uses supreme guitar technique...During the entire CD one is attached to his stunning approach to the modern classical guitar repertoire in by-passing the traditional guitar repertoire. This makes the classical guitar more interesting for a wider audience than the typical standard classical works. Truly an inspiration for guitar enthusiasts of all genres. Alieksey Vianna's music is pure emotion, creativity and passion at the highest level." - Henk te Veldhuis, Bridge Guitar Reviews
"Alieksey Vianna is a very talented musician - fully dedicated to his work and greatly committed to his art. He has put a lot of energy into this project and we can all feel the reward. I'm pleased to have my entire solo guitar production to this date, represented here by him and I hope to write more solo pieces in the future. - Sergio Assad (from Sergio's liner notes)
Many of us know of the Assad Brothers, Sergio and Odair Ossad - "probably the finest guitar duo ever. Some of us also know of Sergio's immense arranging and composing talents.
After much consultation and working together, Alieksey Vianna performs all of Sergio's original solo guitar works. Sergio himself produced the session and the results are obvious. This is an essential recording for the classical guitar world.
THE LINER NOTES
Most of my efforts as a composer have focused on creating arrangements and original pieces for the guitar duo to perform with my brother Odair. However, writing for solo guitar has always been a great pleasure for me and is enhanced by the challenge of using the full polyphonic capabilities of the instrument. When the young Brazilian guitarist Aliéksey Vianna proposed to record some of my guitar works, I was surprised to learn that my solo pieces could fill a whole record.
I first met Aliéksey years ago in his hometown of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. At that time he was a very young performer who was mastering my piece, Aquarelle. Years later, in 2000, I heard him play my Sonata in San Antonio and his performance of the piece inspired me to send him a number of my solo guitar scores. By the fall of 2001 Aliéksey learned the pieces and came to visit me in Chicago for some advice on interpretation. A few months later he was recording them in San Francisco on the GSP label with the help of Dean Kamei.
Aquarelle is the first piece I composed for solo guitar. It was completed in 1988 and is based on a three note motif explored through diverse expansions of the original proto cell. Five years passed before I returned to composing for the solo guitar and completed Fantasia Carioca.
The Fantasia was originally conceived as an orchestral work that I adapted for two guitars and solo guitar. The main theme is constantly reworked into different shapes and colors capturing the rich atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro.
Two years later, in 1995, I wrote Jobiniana No. 3. This piece belongs to a series of works dedicated to the master of Brazilian music, Antonio Carlos Jobim. In the Jobinianas, I work around Jobim’s musical universe with his harmonic style and incredible ability to produce great melodies. Jobiniana No. 3 is the development of his well known song called Desafinado.
The 3 Divertimentos followed in 1996 and are far simpler than the preceding works. They were written for students I was teaching at the Conservatoire Royal in Belgium.
Three years later I wrote the Sonata—commissioned by the Japanese magazine Gendai Guitar—for the great Japanese guitarist Shin-Ichi Fukada as part of his recording project Guitar Sonatas. The piece follows the structure of a classical sonata and is written in multiple layers sounding very similar to a guitar duo.
The 3 Greek Letters were written in 2000 as a private commission dedicated to the great Greek guitarist Antigoni Goni. These pieces are not based directly on Greek music, but rather are my personal homage to the celebrated Greek culture and civilization. When writing them, I deliberately stayed away from my traditional Brazilian influences by avoiding syncopation.
Aliéksey Vianna is a very talented musician—fully dedicated to his work and greatly committed to his art. He has put a lot of energy into this project and we can all feel the reward. I’m pleased to have my entire solo guitar production to this date, represented here by him and I hope to write more solo pieces in the future.
Sérgio Assad
For many years Sérgio’s wonderful music has played a fundamental role in my growth as a musician, so I was delighted to be able to devote an entire recording to his music. I am deeply grateful to Sérgio for the guidance he gave me during the time we spent together on this project (the all-day lessons in Chicago, and the simply unforgettable recording sessions!)
I would also like to thank Dean Kamei, for believing in this project from the start and for the many hours of work he put into the production.
There are some people who have been very important in my development as a person and musician that I would like to acknowledge here. I'd like to start by thanking my family for their love and support since the beginning, and Steve and Carol Dimmick for making it possible for me to complete my education and for their continued support.
The time I spent at San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with David Tanenbaum and at the University of Arizona with Tom Patterson (who introduced me to Sérgio's music), played a significant role in advancing my development as a person and musician. I am so grateful to Tom and David for these experiences.
I would like to acknowledge some of my other teachers for their guidance and inspiration- Fernando Araújo and José Lucena (for their unwavering support), Rogério Bianchi, Maria Rachel Marcondes, Dusan Bogdanovic, Odair Assad, Juarez Moreira, Magno Alexandre, Guilherme Monteiro, Cláudia Cimbléris, Mike Eckroth, Jeff Haskell, Carlos Oliveira, Marco Pereira, Paulo Bellinati, Harvey Wainapel, and Sheldon Brown.
I would also like to say a special thanks to David Francis, Tim Hall, Russell Dawson, Tânia Lopes Cançado, Lúcia Campos, Sr. Kilian Metcalf, Byron Fogo, Thalia Lubin, Zeca Campos, Marcelo Rosa, Anna Jonshult, Chancey Peletier, Sérgio’s family (Angela, Clarice, Rodrigo, Júlia), Andrea Klampfl, Belizário Barros, Leonora Meireles, Doug James, Roberto Capocchi, Paulinho Torres, Frank Koonce, Lawrence Ferrara, and the luthiers David Daily (whose great guitar I play here), Michael Thames, and Steve Ganz.
This record is dedicated to my mother Vera.
Aliéksey Vianna
musical production by Sérgio Assad
studio and technical production by Dean Kamei
recorded by Dean Kamei at Granada Studios (El Granada, California)
mixed and mastered at GSP
graphics and layout by GSP
cover photo by Marcelo Rosa
tray photos by Alan Fontanilla
Sérgio & Aliéksey photo by Dean Kamei
ABOUT ALIEKSEY VIANNA
Only rarely do we find an artist with the range of musicianship of Aliéksey Vianna.
Aliéksey is equally at home performing classical guitar solos, concerti, chamber works, jazz and Brazilian music with unique artistry and a technical expertise that are compelling to critics and the general public.
Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Aliéksey has performed in prestigious music venues in over twenty countries throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, including New York’s Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Bay Area’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Yoshi’s Jazz Club, Mexico City’s Nezahualcoyotl and Sao Paulo’s Sala Ester Mesquita.
Aliéksey has performed as a soloist with orchestras and chamber groups in Brazil, USA, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Poland. He has played with many world-renowned musicians, such as Peter Erskine, Paul McCandless, Toninho Horta, Tracy Silverman, Petri Sakari and Pierre Boulez. He was chosen to perform Boulez’s landmark work “Le Marteau sans Maitre”, conducted by the composer at Carnegie Hall. He has premiered pieces by Egberto Gismonti, Edino Krieger, David Burge and Sérgio Assad. Maestro Assad recognized Aliéksey’s talent and offered to produce a CD of his own solo guitar works, which has been released by the GSP label in February of 2005.
Aliéksey first took up the guitar spontaneously at the age of eight. At age twelve, he began formal musical studies, which included classical guitar, composition, arranging and orchestration. His main teachers were Rogerio Bianchi, Maria Rachel Marcondes, Jose Lucena Vaz, Fernando Araujo, Thomas Patterson and David Tanenbaum. He has also performed in master classes of Sergio and Odair Assad, Manuel Barrueco, Roland Dyens, Abel Carlevaro, Oscar Ghiglia, Nigel North, Paul O’dette, Hopkinson Smith and Ralph Towner, among others.
Aliéksey is an exceptional guitarist who is highly accomplished in both the classical and jazz genres and is constantly crossing stylistic borders. He was awarded first prizes in more than ten worldwide music competitions. These awards have led to invitations to perform and teach in several music festivals, and to record with such important labels as Radio MEC in Brazil, URTEXT in Mexico and GSP in the USA.
| Track 1 | Aquarelle - Divertimento |
|---|---|
| Track 2 | Aquarelle - Valseana |
| Track 3 | Aquarelle - Preludio e Toccatina |
| Track 4 | 3 Divertimentos - Arpoador |
| Track 5 | 3 Divertimentos - Abaeté |
| Track 6 | 3 Divertimentos - Prati |
| Track 7 | Fantasia Carioca |
| Track 8 | Sonata - Allegro Moderato |
| Track 9 | Sonata - Andante |
| Track 10 | Sonata - Presto |
| Track 11 | 3 Greek Letters - Psi |
| Track 12 | 3 Greek Letters - Pi |
| Track 13 | 3 Greek Letters - Sigma |
| Track 14 | Jobiniana No. 3 |
| Featured Product | No |
| Maker/Manufacturer/Artist | VIANNA, ALIEKSEY |
| Availability | Temporarily Out of Stock |
| Description | "Alieksey Vianna is a very talented musician - fully dedicated to his work and greatly committed to his art. He has put a lot of energy into this project and we can all feel the reward. I'm pleased to have my entire solo guitar production to this date, represented here by him and I hope to write more solo pieces in the future. - Sergio Assad (from Sergio's liner notes) Many of us know of the Assad Brothers, Sergio and Odair Ossad - "probably the finest guitar duo ever. Some of us also know of Sergio's immense arranging and composing talents. After much consultation and working together, Alieksey Vianna performs all of Sergio's original solo guitar works. Sergio himself produced the session and the results are obvious. This is an essential recording for the classical guitar world. THE LINER NOTES Most of my efforts as a composer have focused on creating arrangements and original pieces for the guitar duo to perform with my brother Odair. However, writing for solo guitar has always been a great pleasure for me and is enhanced by the challenge of using the full polyphonic capabilities of the instrument. When the young Brazilian guitarist Aliéksey Vianna proposed to record some of my guitar works, I was surprised to learn that my solo pieces could fill a whole record. I first met Aliéksey years ago in his hometown of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. At that time he was a very young performer who was mastering my piece, Aquarelle. Years later, in 2000, I heard him play my Sonata in San Antonio and his performance of the piece inspired me to send him a number of my solo guitar scores. By the fall of 2001 Aliéksey learned the pieces and came to visit me in Chicago for some advice on interpretation. A few months later he was recording them in San Francisco on the GSP label with the help of Dean Kamei. Aquarelle is the first piece I composed for solo guitar. It was completed in 1988 and is based on a three note motif explored through diverse expansions of the original proto cell. Five years passed before I returned to composing for the solo guitar and completed Fantasia Carioca. The Fantasia was originally conceived as an orchestral work that I adapted for two guitars and solo guitar. The main theme is constantly reworked into different shapes and colors capturing the rich atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro. Two years later, in 1995, I wrote Jobiniana No. 3. This piece belongs to a series of works dedicated to the master of Brazilian music, Antonio Carlos Jobim. In the Jobinianas, I work around Jobim’s musical universe with his harmonic style and incredible ability to produce great melodies. Jobiniana No. 3 is the development of his well known song called Desafinado. The 3 Divertimentos followed in 1996 and are far simpler than the preceding works. They were written for students I was teaching at the Conservatoire Royal in Belgium. Three years later I wrote the Sonata—commissioned by the Japanese magazine Gendai Guitar—for the great Japanese guitarist Shin-Ichi Fukada as part of his recording project Guitar Sonatas. The piece follows the structure of a classical sonata and is written in multiple layers sounding very similar to a guitar duo. The 3 Greek Letters were written in 2000 as a private commission dedicated to the great Greek guitarist Antigoni Goni. These pieces are not based directly on Greek music, but rather are my personal homage to the celebrated Greek culture and civilization. When writing them, I deliberately stayed away from my traditional Brazilian influences by avoiding syncopation. Aliéksey Vianna is a very talented musician—fully dedicated to his work and greatly committed to his art. He has put a lot of energy into this project and we can all feel the reward. I’m pleased to have my entire solo guitar production to this date, represented here by him and I hope to write more solo pieces in the future. Sérgio Assad For many years Sérgio’s wonderful music has played a fundamental role in my growth as a musician, so I was delighted to be able to devote an entire recording to his music. I am deeply grateful to Sérgio for the guidance he gave me during the time we spent together on this project (the all-day lessons in Chicago, and the simply unforgettable recording sessions!) I would also like to thank Dean Kamei, for believing in this project from the start and for the many hours of work he put into the production. There are some people who have been very important in my development as a person and musician that I would like to acknowledge here. I'd like to start by thanking my family for their love and support since the beginning, and Steve and Carol Dimmick for making it possible for me to complete my education and for their continued support. The time I spent at San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with David Tanenbaum and at the University of Arizona with Tom Patterson (who introduced me to Sérgio's music), played a significant role in advancing my development as a person and musician. I am so grateful to Tom and David for these experiences. I would like to acknowledge some of my other teachers for their guidance and inspiration- Fernando Araújo and José Lucena (for their unwavering support), Rogério Bianchi, Maria Rachel Marcondes, Dusan Bogdanovic, Odair Assad, Juarez Moreira, Magno Alexandre, Guilherme Monteiro, Cláudia Cimbléris, Mike Eckroth, Jeff Haskell, Carlos Oliveira, Marco Pereira, Paulo Bellinati, Harvey Wainapel, and Sheldon Brown. I would also like to say a special thanks to David Francis, Tim Hall, Russell Dawson, Tânia Lopes Cançado, Lúcia Campos, Sr. Kilian Metcalf, Byron Fogo, Thalia Lubin, Zeca Campos, Marcelo Rosa, Anna Jonshult, Chancey Peletier, Sérgio’s family (Angela, Clarice, Rodrigo, Júlia), Andrea Klampfl, Belizário Barros, Leonora Meireles, Doug James, Roberto Capocchi, Paulinho Torres, Frank Koonce, Lawrence Ferrara, and the luthiers David Daily (whose great guitar I play here), Michael Thames, and Steve Ganz. This record is dedicated to my mother Vera. Aliéksey Vianna musical production by Sérgio Assad
ABOUT ALIEKSEY VIANNA Only rarely do we find an artist with the range of musicianship of Aliéksey Vianna. Aliéksey is equally at home performing classical guitar solos, concerti, chamber works, jazz and Brazilian music with unique artistry and a technical expertise that are compelling to critics and the general public. Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Aliéksey has performed in prestigious music venues in over twenty countries throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, including New York’s Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Bay Area’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Yoshi’s Jazz Club, Mexico City’s Nezahualcoyotl and Sao Paulo’s Sala Ester Mesquita. Aliéksey has performed as a soloist with orchestras and chamber groups in Brazil, USA, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Poland. He has played with many world-renowned musicians, such as Peter Erskine, Paul McCandless, Toninho Horta, Tracy Silverman, Petri Sakari and Pierre Boulez. He was chosen to perform Boulez’s landmark work “Le Marteau sans Maitre”, conducted by the composer at Carnegie Hall. He has premiered pieces by Egberto Gismonti, Edino Krieger, David Burge and Sérgio Assad. Maestro Assad recognized Aliéksey’s talent and offered to produce a CD of his own solo guitar works, which has been released by the GSP label in February of 2005. Aliéksey first took up the guitar spontaneously at the age of eight. At age twelve, he began formal musical studies, which included classical guitar, composition, arranging and orchestration. His main teachers were Rogerio Bianchi, Maria Rachel Marcondes, Jose Lucena Vaz, Fernando Araujo, Thomas Patterson and David Tanenbaum. He has also performed in master classes of Sergio and Odair Assad, Manuel Barrueco, Roland Dyens, Abel Carlevaro, Oscar Ghiglia, Nigel North, Paul O’dette, Hopkinson Smith and Ralph Towner, among others. Aliéksey is an exceptional guitarist who is highly accomplished in both the classical and jazz genres and is constantly crossing stylistic borders. He was awarded first prizes in more than ten worldwide music competitions. These awards have led to invitations to perform and teach in several music festivals, and to record with such important labels as Radio MEC in Brazil, URTEXT in Mexico and GSP in the USA. |